


Petals in the Ocean

by bambiinaz



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fantasy AU, Haikyuu Prince AU, Haikyuu!! AU Week, Major Original Character(s), Minor Original Character(s), Multi, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Original Character-centric, Original Fiction, Original Universe, POV Original Character, POV Original Female Character, Prince Sugawara Koushi, Princes & Princesses, Protective Sugawara Koushi, Runaway Prince AU, Runaway Prince Sugawara Koushi, Running Away, Suga Prince AU, Sugawara is a prince, Sugawara is a runaway prince, Sugawara would be the best prince, haikyuu Fantasy, headcanon that prince suga knows how to use a bow and arrow, imagine running into runaway prince sugawara in a forest, prince AU, suga is a prince
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:07:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 32,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28013670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bambiinaz/pseuds/bambiinaz
Summary: Koushi Sugawara is a runaway prince.When decisions of his future are taken out of his hands, he makes the decision to leave his kingdom of Elvedare. On the way, as he plots to figure out how to save his home, he runs into secrets, dangers, and the princess of the wealthiest kingdom in the nation. It would be most prince's dream to see Princess Amaratha out of her castle; unless she hated you as much as she hated Suga.What happened between them? Who was behind it? What else could possibly go wrong?*UPDATES EVERY MONDAY*
Relationships: Haikyuu!! Ensemble/Original Character(s), Haikyuu!! Ensemble/Reader, Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Female Character, Original Female Character/Original Male Character, Original Male Character/Reader, Sugawara Koushi & Everyone, Sugawara Koushi & Reader, Sugawara Koushi/Original Character(s), Sugawara Koushi/Original Female Character(s), Sugawara Koushi/Original Male Character(s), Sugawara Koushi/Reader
Kudos: 7





	1. Prologue - The Smallest Meadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet Koushi Sugawara, crowned prince of Elvedare, The Kingdom of Flowers.

**14 YEARS AGO**

In a land, smaller than most, but even more grand than the others that lay at its borders, lay a kingdom. Stood at the base of a mountain was the brightest castle of cool grey, beautiful evergreen banners waving the darkened emblem of a crow holding a silver rose in its mouth.

The city around the castle was one that had grown and thrived over centuries of good and prosperous rule. Civilians wandered around the streets, aimlessly happy within the walls that they had always been safe in. There was nowhere better than the kingdom Elvedare. Walking down the street, the scent of freshly baked bread and pies was warm that made the mouth water even if the body was fully fed. Children ran over the cobblestones, laughter like pealing church bells. Smiles glittered with the everyone that passed by, their baskets full of the grocer's goods; fresh eggs, browned loaves of bread, tall cylinders of milk next to sharp blocks of cheese and of course, a snipped bundle of whatever flower was harvested that day.

Elvedare was known as the Kingdom of Flowers. Past the city gates lay hills, meadows, and valleys full of flowers. Some were brought from other kingdoms; roses, peonies, and dahlias to name a few. However, despite coming from foreign homes, they all thrived in the warmth and sun that shined on Elvedare.

For centuries the kingdom thrived with a strong lead - kings and queens that ruled with stern, but gentle hold. They shipped flowers to other kingdoms, their goods being the most desired for coronations, weddings, and parties that all the lands. There was some pride of being a kingdom that's main commodity was so kind. For as long and the kingdom had stood, there had never been any forms of conflict with others. They lived as neutral parties within debacles between rivaling states, their only crime being hidden through a darkened path of leagues of forests.

As a child, crowned Prince Koushi Sugawara was the gentlest of youths. He ran through the palace, his voice chiming with laughter and graced everyone he came across with the grandest of smiles. He was as sweet and mischievous as any child was growing up, but the pride of the whole kingdom nonetheless. Most of his days he spent in lessons, cheeks propped up on his little palms, legs swinging wildly out of boredom until he was dismissed. Without anyone else to enjoy playing with, the little prince found him wandering off into a secret tunnel he discovered that led straight out behind the castle into a small meadow.

He would lay there for hours, staring at the clouds passing in the sky. He dreamed a lot, much more than a prince should. Koushi, or Suga, as he liked to be called by those whom he cared for, wondered what it would be like to be king. His father was the ideal, strong, silver haired, and broad with the crinkles by his eyes that could only have been caused by years of laughter. His mother was just as kind, hands soft and warm as she sang sweet lullabies while she threaded small flowers into his hair when she found him snoozing in the grass. But would his life always be that way? Being able to run away from the servants tasked to watch him to just waste the hours dreaming? Life as king surely couldn't be that simple, even if Elvedare had never seen violence or catastrophe.

Days seemed different only when they had visitors. His royal predecessors had made many allies over the years, his father continuing those relationships with the promise always of good health to all that came to his kingdom. Most liked to get away from their larger homes, the cities too loud, dirty, or fueled by hooliganism that even the leaders could not control. Elvedare was a white spot in the middle of the map, untouched and clean. It was never a surprise that Suga would be pushed and combed into perfection to stand next to his father in the Great Hall to greet people he still couldn't remember the name of.

But there was one family that he grew to never forget. The first time he had seen the Alvalars of Rosavna, he noticed that their daughter was astounded by what their home had to offer. She hadn't been the first young maiden that had been enamoured by the rows of flowers that graced the view as one came out of the forest into Elvedare.

"Welcome to Elvedare," his father nodded in greeting.

"It's a pleasure to finally be here and meet you," the king of Rosavna greeted back. Suga shook the hand of the burly man that was presented to him. "Prince Koushi, very nice to meet you as well!"

"Welcome to Elvedare," Suga replied back. He was almost a wisp of a child growing up, his father liked to joke that he was as meaty as stag with too many does to take care of. But his voice was clear and glass, his gaze unwavering even towards the tall, bearded man dripping with silk linens and jewels.

"How many years are you?"

"Eight, my lord."

The Rosavna king turned towards his queen and the exact replica that stood behind her mother's skirt. "Come my little one, the prince would like to meet you! You share the same age, nothing to be scared of."

She was pretty, Suga had decided. Her hair was as dark as her father's, almost ebony, but rather than have the stark green eyes like his, hers were warm and brown. Her posture didn't seem frightened by the meeting of a stranger. Rather, her hands smoothed down the violet of her gown and she curtsied majestically in front of all of them.

"Thank you for hosting us." Her voice was clear, refined, and sweeter than what Suga had expected. His cheeks tinted pink, ignoring the little elbow from his father.

"She is gorgeous," Suga's mother replied. She took the hand of the girl in both of her own, leaning down towards her level. "What is your name dear?"

"Amaratha, your grace," she replied.

"A lovely name for such a strong young princess," his mother beamed. He looked at the beckoning hand that she angled towards him and walked to them. The sound of the two kings immediately making political conversation was drowned by the way that Amaratha regarded him. "This is my son, Koushi."

"Hello," she curtsied gently and he bowed back.

"It's nice to meet you."

"How about you both go ahead and play. The servants will get you both for the feast later."

In a flash, Suga took the princess' hand in his own, the look of surprise on her face making him grin. Before anyone else could say anything, he pulled her along with him, their feet quickly patting over the carpeted hallways. The servants called out behind them, but he knew they would outrun them. Servants never ran in the halls, especially when his parents were around.

"Where are we going?" she asked, panting.

"Somewhere you'll like, I promise!"

If they were any older, it would be absolutely scandalous to see two royals from different families running hand in hand with one another only to disappear behind a worn oak door. But Suga held onto her tightly, making sure that he would never let go just in case she managed to trip or fall because of her gown.

The scent of the flowers hit them first. Suga always loved the smell of the meadow more than the actual flowers themselves. But when he walked through the arched doorway, he heard her gasp and let go of her hand. He ran to the center and turned to her, smiling widely.

She took tentative steps looking all around her, absolutely in awe. Her hands brushed over the tops of the flowers that swallowed the skirt of her gown. It was like Amaratha didn't really believe that she was there.

"It's like magic," she said to the flowers. Little white butterflies and moths floated into the air as she walked towards him. The curious look on her face was still there, but the posh looks that they put on for introductions was gone.

"This is my favourite place," Suga told her with pride. "I always come here after classes."

"It's so beautiful," Amaratha told him. "Rosavna doesn't have places like this."

From what Suga remembered from his studies, her kingdom was by the sea. It was almost three times as large as his home, but he couldn't imagine having to be a king to take care of it all.

"I've never been to the sea," he told her.

"The water looks pretty, but sometimes it smells bad." Her nose crinkled, remembering the smell. "Especially by the docks. It always smells like fish."

Even Suga turned his nose up at that. "But your kingdom must be huge. So many places to visit!"

"I don't normally go outside of the castle that often," she admitted. Amaratha settled into the grass, picking up a small yellow bud with her fingers. "There are a lot of sailors and merchants in our kingdom. Lots of people come to smuggle and run away from the law on ships. It's not safe, especially for me. Father and Mother depend on me to lead one day."

Suga looked at her with a curious head tilt. The little princess was just like him. No, that wasn't right. She had more pressure on her shoulders than he did. "Do you not have siblings Princess?"

"No, my brother died at childbirth before I was born. The physician told my Mother that it would be dangerous for her health to try for other children, but they had me anyway. She... Well she's alive now and that's all that matters. Father wouldn't let her risk her life again, not for something as feeble as a male heir."

"I never asked my Mother and Father about if they wanted more children," Suga replied. He lay in the grass, staring at the sky. It was blue, cloudless as it normally was on a summer day. The heat shone down on them, a hot wind blowing through the meadow that made the flowers dance.

"They have you, why would they want more?"

"It gets lonely in the castle. Father has a brother who has many children. They live in the countryside. When they visit, it's very nice. We play and talk all of the time. But when they leave the castle feels too big all over again."

"I feel that way as well!" Amaratha settled next to him, her shoulder touching his. "The lords normally bring their children with them but they don't like me. They're nice to me because I'm the princess and because if I say anything bad about them, Father would tell their own fathers."

"Well would you like to be friends then?" Suga asked. "We seem to get along nicely, and not only because our fathers are kings."

Amaratha turned to look at him and she smiled sadly. "But what happens when I go back home?"

"We can write to one another! That way we can always keep in touch and have something to look forward to."

She looked at him, her eyes sparkling. "Really? You'd write to me?"

"Of course!"

"Thank you Prince Koushi, that would be very nice."

"You can call me Suga."

"Then you can call me Mara."

\--------------------------------

_Remember that you can access chapters ahead of time on my[Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/awriterrambles) by subscribing to my $5/$8 tiers!_

_You can find other links[here](https://linktr.ee/ambikuous)._

_:)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	2. The Currency of the Petal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga finally understands what is behind the cracks in Elvedare and makes an extremely rash decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi before you read, this chapter is for @kat4katou on Tiktok who sent me the sweetest message on tiktok about the beginning of PITO, I cried a little bit. Thank you Kat, and I hope everyone enjoys reading!

**PRESENT DAY**

Within a kingdom of flowers, there was hardly any hostility. Nothing severely damaging happened other than market squabbles that easily passed as the moon did in the sky. Suga grew up that way. The joyful, mischievous prince slowly turned into a handsome, kind, and cheerful young man who was the pride and joy of Elvedare. He excelled in his studies, was nothing short of a danger with a bow and arrow, and was the most gentle soul when he wandered the public to check on the city.

However by the age of twenty two, Suga could tell that there was something wrong going on in Elvedare. The city was breaking apart slowly, not too much that it wasn't holding together, but enough where Suga could feel it. There was an increase of crime in the normally peaceful streets. He would be reading over battle strategies in the library, being interrupted by the head guard Stepheno to be told about far too many situations where he was notified that the royal guard had to step in. His own stomach boiled at the absolute horror of blood being spilled on the streets of his home, even more so when he saw it right before his eyes.

The topic was a touchy one, especially with his father. King Soru was somber within these new years of violence and crime. Worry and stress creased his brow, expressions he clearly tried to hide from his son, but Suga was well aware. It soon came time, when Suga himself had witnessed a woman be knocked over with her child right in front of him where he knew that he needed to speak. He swore that if he hadn't been for Stepheno holding him back in a full suit of armour, Suga would have chased him down and thrown the thief in prison for the rest of his life.

It was another night where he breathed in sharp quick breaths in front of the oak doors to his father's study before knocking to be let in. It was the same room that he had always seen from when he was a child. Tapestries that had hung for generations kept warmth in the walls that were laden with browns and rows of books. His father liked wooden furnishings and so tables and chairs littered each corner, making room for the gentlemen he brought into the study. Whenever Suga, a child, would wander into the room to look for a new book to read on the history of Elvedare, he himself would claim a softened chair for himself at one of the clean tables that sported a single rose in a vase. The room still seemed fairly the same, albeit with many more papers poking out of the bookcases and on top of tables without a flower in sight.

"Koushi, my son," he was greeted.

"Father I would like to have a word."

His father leaned back into his chair. Suga hadn't seen his father look this tired. The years had aged him greatly as it did everyone, but for the first time, Suga realized that he wasn't a little boy anymore. Grey hairs were trimmed neatly, but his eyes had sunk into his face with wrinkles. Simply wearing a gold embroidered green jacket over a white tunic, the room seemed to swallow the broad man. The king's shoulders were slouched, raisingly only to sit back in his chair and rest the side of his head on a rough hand. Suga hated to admit it. His father was becoming elderly despite his larger than life personality and broad shoulders.

"Of course, there was also something that I wanted to talk to you about as well." Suga took a seat in his favourite chair, cushioned with a soft evergreen shaded velvet. His hands were damp in his own grip despite how many times he had stared at the roses carved into the legs of the table. When had he ever had a discussion with his father like this? He didn't think they ever had. Their talks about politics and the governing of Elvedare had always been in hypothetical scenarios along with other nobles who were always shocked that Suga knew so much and scholars who were envious of him despite the praise they gave. Regardless of that, Suga only studied how to run his kingdom, he had never actually proposed a problem about his home before. Stepheno had told him a long time ago that he was lucky to never have to deal with them, but Suga always saw it as a mistake. How was he supposed to learn if he didn't have anything to actually fix?

"I went out into the city today," Suga began.

"Suga..." his father sighed. It was common knowledge that Suga liked to roam the kingdom in disguise to see what it was like to live there. Stepheno hated when it happened, the taller man only a couple years older than him, which Suga always used to his advantage. He did it on his own so often that his parents couldn't help but relent as long as he brought Stepheno since he would sneak past them even though they warned him of the dangers of it. It was the only way that he could really think about fully understanding what was really happening in the kingdom and how the people lived.

"I know, but this time it was just to visit Uncle, it wasn't like all of the other days," Suga defended. "But when I was in the market... a woman was robbed right before my eyes. Of both her wallet and her goods. Knocked to the ground bleeding and crying out for help with her child, and no one stopped the thief."

"Things like that happen son-"

"Father I've seen my fair share of robberies in the city, but no one helped her. She was there in the middle of the road! And the people just turned their backs, walked into their homes like nothing had happened. When did the city turn like this? This isn't the first time I've been walking through the city, I've seen robberies and such before. This was different. It was malicious and callous and-"

"Suga... Elvedare isn't doing well," his father interrupted.

He sat there and blinked. "Isn't doing well? What do you mean?"

"What I mean to say is that we don't have the wealth that we used to have."

Suga raised his eyebrows. "I don't understand."

"Have you noticed the valleys lately?"

"I talked to the farmers, they say they're having a bad harvest season and that's why the hibiscus flowers aren't doing too well this year but-"

"It's been happening to a majority of crops around the kingdom," Suga was told. His father ran a hand over his face. "There's something strange happening to the fields, like nothing is growing as well as it used to. We were just breaking even with our quotas several summers ago, but now I know that we won't be able to do that. We haven't been able to do that for a while now. The city is suffering because of it."

This was news to Suga. There was nothing wrong that he knew about the financial situation of Elvedare. Money was never an issue. Everything that he had studied confirmed that compared to other kingdoms, Elvedare was a place that was the most financially compatible for their citizens. Whatever they could not balance with their export of flowers, they made up for with their sales in medicine, rare medicinal herbs, and other crops.

"Are you saying that because nothing is growing..."

"We've been taking out the treasury to ensure the people don't starve. I have been asking other kingdoms for grain," his father told him quietly. "I don't think that we can do the same thing again for long."

"Surely we have other kingdoms that don't mind helping us for the seasons, why don't we ask Mar-" Suga cut himself off with his own revelation. His father looked at him, fingers at his temple. "I'm sorry."

"Out of respect for Mara's wishes, we no longer associate ourselves politically or personally with Rosavna, as you know." Suga knew that. He knew for years that their kingdom no longer shipped anything to Rosavna. His parents no longer sent or recieved gifts for birthdays as they used to. Suga hadn't received a single letter with a seashell from Mara for years.

"There has to be some other way to be able to make sure that we don't have people robbing and bleeding on the streets," Suga tried again, heart heavier than when he walked in.

There was a silence between them, one where they stared at one another for quite some time. His father and him never really had intimate conversations on their own. When they did, it was mostly about his training as a bowman, whether or not he felt ready to rule a kingdom one day, or to see how his studies were going. Nothing ever amounted to them needing to actually have a discussion on how to save the kingdom. Suga knew that something was coming, something that he wasn't sure that he was going to like.

"There has been a lot of discussion on how to fix this problem that we have," he was told. "What is irrefutable is the fact that we must turn to another kingdom for help. Ideally, we would have turned to Rosavna, but since that's not the case, we have come up with a different method and that concerns you specifically."

"Me?"

"Koushi, you've turned the age of twenty two this past summer, an age that a lot of young men look to getting married. Most men have betrothed themselves to princesses much earlier than that."

Suga's mouth fell open, a pit in his stomach. "Father, getting married to Mara after everything that has happened is not going to save the kingdom. She would say no and it would blight her reputation mo-"

"Princess Amaratha was not who I was referring to."

His brows furrowed in confusion at first, and then he let out a huff of embarrassment. If they weren't talking about Mara, then who was Father talking about? "I don't understand."

"The king of Somoza has extended an offer towards us."

Suga's blood ran cold. Somoza was the second largest kingdom in the whole country, rivaling the wealth of Rosvana by a small margin. But unlike the majority of Rosvana, Somozans weren't a kind set of people. The king was loud, angry, and wanted to get his way at every corner. His army was even more ruthless, a brash and wickedly weaponized force that always strived for victory. And they always were victorious in their many exhibitions. But that wasn't the reason why Suga was dreading the next few sentences.

"He wants something Father."

"It is not he who prompted the exchange. Faustus has never bat a single eye at Elvedare. It was Elenora who convinced him that he should help us."

If Suga could be folded into the chair, he would have made sure he was so small that no one could see him with the naked eye. Elenora. A name had never been something to make the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, but hers... it made his skin crawl and blood boil. His hands turned into tight, painful fists before unclenching slowly.

"What does she want in return for helping us?" Suga asked quietly.

"Your hand."

Suga's face fell into his palms. He wasn't surprised, but it was the worst exchange that he had heard in his life. His hand. She wanted his hand in marriage in order to help his kingdom that was on the brink of crumbling. All those years ago, Suga had promised himself that he would never have connections to Somoza because of her, even if it meant dying. He had told it to her right to her face, and despite it all, she still had the gall to stand over him to show off her upper hand.

"No," Suga shook his head, the feeling of rage and annoyance running into his face. "We can turn to another kingdom for help. All we need are resources to make sure that the people don't go hungry correct? We can get grain and crops and trade from everywhere else. Tell the king no. Tell Elenora never."

His father looked at him with an expression that was one Suga had never seen before. It wasn't that of a man to his son. It was of a king ready to dictate a decree.

"I have taken it upon myself to accept the offer."

It was like time stopped and Suga couldn't move. His body wanted to jump to his feet, to slam his hands on the table and say that it was impossible. There was no way that he would marry Elenora. But all he could do was stare and hope that he wasn't hearing things correctly. There was no way that Father could have taken Suga's life into his own hands like that. It wasn't the type of man Suga knew to be his blood.

"No Father, you didn't."

"I did Koushi. It was a strong decision, one that I know you aren't pleased with. But it is for the benefit of the kingdom and thus I made my choice."

Suga clenched his hands in his lap, nails digging into his palms. "You had no right to make that decision for me. I could have handled it. I would have have-"

"You are handling this now," Suga was told sternly. "Kings don't get problems and situations handed to them before they occur so they can plan for it. Situations arise without their knowledge, ones that are not what they want in the slightest. But what makes them worthy as rulers is that they find a way to put aside their personal feelings and do what is best for their people."

"What is best for the people of Elvedare is to keep them away from the most barbaric set of people that this nation has ever seen!"

"The Somozan support is the best option that we have. Think about this Koushi, you know that strategically, this is a good decision."

It was a good decision, Suga couldn't refute it. As he clenched his jaw he knew that for smaller kingdoms like Elvedare, it was hard for them to have many connections because larger kingdoms didn't need their support. If Elvedare was as needy as Suga was beginning to understand, he knew his own first decision was to turn to a larger kingdom that would take care of them. But to ensure that this would never happen again, that Elvedare would never be worried about running out of money, bonds were sealed by marriage. Marriage unions ensured that support would come from either side no matter what. But Suga knew what would happen if Elenora came to Elvedare. All he could see in his vision was Elenora's blonde head walking through rows of beautiful flowers, her touch wilting them into blackened, withering stems.

"There has to be another kingdom," Suga reasoned. But his tone was flat, one of defeat and of weak excuses.

"Elenora has already sent supplies in a show of good faith," his father stated quietly. "I know that you have your issues with her Koushi, but if you're going to be a king someday, you're going to be pushed and sucked into many uncomfortable places. You will find a way to cope with this decision."

"Father you don't understand... I will not marry Elenora!" he exclaimed loudly.

"This is not up for discussion!" His father slammed a hand onto the desk.

"I spent my life knowing that I would marry for love, never for wealth!"

"Koushi this is not time to be selfish-"

"Selfish?!" Suga leapt to his feet, fury raging through him as he too slammed his hands on the desk, a large pile of books falling off of the corner and echoing loudly on the floor. "What is selfish is putting your son up as a prized deer for the highest bidder whose plan is to eat him alive! Elenora is the devil, she would rather see the world burn than help others prosper. She is the selfish one and you're falling right into her trap. I know what kind of king I want to be, and it's not one with a queen like her by my side. So no, I will not marry her because you simply tell me to."

He turned on his heel, the sound of his name being angrily shouted behind him not making him stop in the slightest. Suga had never been this angry in his entire life. There was nothing that could compare. His entire life all he had ever wanted was to be a king that his people would be proud of. Gentle and strong, kind and generous, and that was who he wanted as a queen. He couldn't think about how many days he spent wandering the valleys, wishing he knew what flower his future queen would like so he could have them planted all over Elvedare.

The thought of Elenora smiling at him like she had won made him spin to the wall and drive a fist as hard as he could into the stone. The pain wasn't enough to make him feel like he was in control and he punched it again, his knuckles splitting and crimson blooming on the wall.

"Your Highness!" An older servant grabbed his arm as he wound up for another swing, holding him sternly in her grip. "Please, don't!" He recognized her, she always gave him a soft smile and a deep curtsey while she was sweeping or changing beddings. Now her eyes weren't lowered to the ground but stared at him wide and blue and worried.  
"Let go of me," Suga fumed. "Let go of me this instant!"

"Sire, hurting yourself isn't going to make you feel better about whatever is going on!" Her hand pulled her apron up to his knuckles, dabbing at his wounds that ached him sharply.

Suga yanked his arm away from her. "And what do you suggest?"  
"Whatever this is, can be fixed with a little thought and patience."

He didn't stick around to hear the rest of what she wanted to say to him. She called his name again but instead he ran through the halls, away from it all. His feet carried him back to his bedroom, the heavy door slamming shut, the metal handles clanking. Suga was absolutely livid. An empty wine glass sat on his desk to his right and it was the first thing that he threw across the room, watching it shatter against the wall. Next went his books, bottles of blue and black ink. Wine seeped pages, curtains ruined with black ink, glass and broken pens scattered onto the rugs. The room was a mess by the time he was done with it, as if ten men had been brawling there before he arrived.

Suga sat on his bed, face in his hands. For the past four years he had been absolutely kept in the dark about everything. He walked the city streets, knowing that something was wrong, but didn't even get the chance to help figure it out. Instead, he was being used as a scapegoat. An easy solution for everyone. Suga couldn't believe it. How could they just make this type of decision for him? All of the speeches he had given, standing tall and proud to the people of Elvedare who cheered at the sight of him, describing it as a place where independence and love thrived and he would continue to be a beacon of that.

Elenora. Hot rage flooded his body when Suga thought other. She was as wickedly evil as her father, never hesitating to take advantage of someone in their time of need. She was the exact opposite of what he wanted Elvedare to be about. As he sat on the floor, he could see her eyes, wickedly green and smirking at him because she had the upper hand. It was all that she did. But there was no way he was going to let her get him like this again. He would rather die than be caught in her talons. But she could only catch him if...

He knew he would probably regret it in his later years, and people at his age didn't have tantrums. However Suga knew that Elvedare would crumble if Elenora and her armies stormed the streets. The people would talk about him for the rest of his life. For all he knew, his reputation would be damaged for as long as he lived.

"Mother and Father will find it in their heart to forgive me," he told himself, stripping out of his cream coloured silken linens to toss on the commoner clothes that he always wore when he was in the forest, or roaming the streets. It wasn't hard for him to fill a bag with what he deemed as necessities. With a hooded evergreen cloak around his shoulders that allowed him to pass everyone in the castle without a second glance, he carefully closed the door to his room and started down the hall. To all of the servants that he had passed, he looked like just another errand boy making his way through the castle. Sneaking into the kitchen was another story. Especially now that he knew the whole kingdom was an inch away from starving. His brain rattled with quick thoughts as he started at the door that led to where all of the food in the castle was prepared. What could he take without actually hurting anyone?

"Water flask, a single loaf of bread, apples, a knife," he muttered to himself. "That should be enough shouldn't it? The forest has-"

"Prince Koushi?" A young kitchen attendant stared up at him, his blue eyes wide with curiosity. Suga's own eyes widened, cursing that he wasn't as sneaky as he should have been. But a thought occurred to him. He crouched to the boy's level, smiling as best as he could with his heart trying to jump out of his chest.

"Hello there, what's your name? I don't think I've seen you in the castle before." Suga's heart beat in his chest so loudly he almost missed the child looking up at him with wide brown eyes.

"It's Leon, Your Highness. My mummy said I could help her in the kitchens now that I got big. It's nice to meet you."  
"It's nice to meet you too Leon. Do you think you could do me a favour?"

"Of course, Your Highness!"

"I need you to bring me a couple things from the kitchen, but not tell anyone about it. Do you know where the stables are?"

"Yes my lord."

Suga smiled. "Excellent. Bring them there as soon as you can, I'll be there. I'm planning on a night ride and would hope that you'd keep it a secret. No one likes it when I want to be alone, so I'm hoping this can stay between us?"

"Of course my lord! I'll meet you at the stables in no time."

Suga patted his head and listed all of the items that he could think about from the top of his head. Once he was sure the boy was out of sight, he quickly walked down the hall and weaseled his way through a narrow door that led down to the base of the castle. It was one of many secret tunnels that he had discovered a while ago thanks to his playmates, men who he only saw on occasions now. It led straight out of the castle to the entrance of the armoury. If you weren't looking close enough, you couldn't even see Suga slip out of what seemed to be a dark hole in the wall before he pulled open the door.

Once he was sure that no one else was in the armoury, especially Stepheno since the guards liked to check their weapons periodically, he filled a quiver with as many arrows as he dared, pulling his favourite bow over and across his chest. He glanced at the wall of swords that glinted at him in the moonlight. Suga was never a swordsman. No matter how hard he tried, he wasn't one that would last very long against an opponent that had size and speed against him. Stepheno was the one that showed him he was better as a bowman, with a keen eye and the patience and skill to find a target. Besides, a sword was too large for him to bring. The goal was to be as quick as silver. Frowning solemnly he walked to a table in the very corner. Instead of a sword, he attached a brown leather belt to his waist, slipping curved, hilted daggers against each hip that were quickly covered with his cloak.

From the other end of the armoury was a door that would lead to outside. Only a couple stone throws away were the stables full of the proudest horses that could ever be seen. Suga knew he was biased but they were strong, absolutely broad with muscle and sleek manes that were braided with ribbons and the occasional jewel during special occasions. Suga bypassed all of the stalls to the entrance, the sound of his boots grinding into straw and hay the only sound he was willing to make amongst the snorts and clops of hooves. He reached the middle stall, a tall horse bending his head to place his nose into Suga's palm once the animal took a deep sniff.

"Hello there friend," Suga whispered to him. Juniper was a foal, born when Suga was only ten. He was a dusty grey with a mane and tail of black. He wasn't the first horse Suga had ridden, but it was the one that Suga had trained with the moment Juniper took a saddle. No one knew him better, especially when it came to combat. The risk of taking Juniper was that people would figure out that Suga had run away once they had put all of the pieces together. But the risk was even larger if Suga took a different horse that wasn't familiar with him and didn't understand his cues. Juniper snorted, raising his head up and down until Suga put both hands on him, patting his neck and resting his forehead on his house with a deep sigh.

"Sire!" Leon appeared, a bundle of cloth stretching with whatever he brought in his arms. Suga's heart leapt again with the fear of getting caught. Did the boy not understand what it meant to be covert? "I know you said to bring only a couple things like apples and such, but I figured if you're going to be out all night, you should have more than enough to last until midday tomorrow."

Suga smiled despite the regret filling his chest. "Thank you Leon, now run along before someone catches you where you're not supposed to be. And remember-"

"I won't tell anyone Sire!"

He bowed, running off. When Suga was confident enough that the boy was gone, he opened up Juniper's stall, saddling him and packing his saddle bags as evenly as he could before mounting him easily.

"This might be a mistake Juniper," Suga said, reins tightening in his hands. In slow silence, they made their way to the front of the castle wall, the guards opening the iron gate without question once they saw it was him, another instance that would tarnish his record once people went looking for him. Once he was a distance away in town, the only thing lighting up the way being single torches at every other house, Suga looked back at the castle.

"Elvedare deserves better than to be ruled by people like Elenora," he told Juniper. "We are good people. I will not be a pawn in a game that ruins that Juniper."

Without a second look back, Suga urged him to a gallop through the city, hoping that when he returned, there would be something good to come along with him. 

\--------------------------------

_Remember that you can access chapters ahead of time on my[Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/awriterrambles) by subscribing to my $5/$8 tiers!_

_You can find other links[here](https://linktr.ee/ambikuous)._

_:)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	3. Meeting the Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The best of friends, and maybe something more.

**FOUR YEARS AGO**

The first time that Suga had left the kingdom was because of Mara. She had invited them to Rosavna for her official coronation as the sole heir to her father's throne. It wasn't often that the Elvedare royal family went places, but there was no saying no to the closest friend of the prince.

Suga was absolutely thrilled. He couldn't wait to feel the salty breeze against his face and walk the shore. It took them a week to get to Rosavna. Through the forest, Suga sat and wondered. It had been several years since Mara and him had seen one another. They had exchanged what had to have been hundreds of letters, and he had never failed to send a pressed flower in each envelope before he sealed it with wax, but words were different. As the trees ran by, they were a vision of deep green that only encouraged his mind to fret.

Why was he so fearful? It was his first time out of the kingdom to a far away land, but it wasn't like he was uncultured. He was the best student that his tutors had seen, and no guards would dare try to compete with his hand when it came to a bow and arrow. But for some reason, the thought of seeing Mara after this long made his insides tumble.

"Isn't this exciting?" Mother exclaimed to him. "You've never seen such a large kingdom before Koushi, how does that make you feel?"

"I have a feeling of restlessness," he admitted.

"It's an understandable feeling," she assured. "However the brightness of this entire trip lays within being able to see the happier side of things."

"What do you feel excited to see the most Mother?"

"I've always heard wonderful things about large kingdom coronations," she smiled at him. "I also can't wait to see the hydrangeas that the princess picked out on display. They're a beautiful blue and purple shade, it's going to look absolutely stunning."

Suga turned to his father, who had his eyes closed the moment they had started the day's journey, his mouth parted, on the brink of snoring. He snickered when Mother waved her handkerchief in his face to hit his nose. Father snorted and sat up. "I'm awake, are we here?"  
"For the love of God, Koushi is nervous, could you at least talk to your son instead of sleep the entire journey?"

"Father is a busy man, this is probably the only time he gets to take a nap," Suga replied, his father nodding in agreement, but he was smiling.

"Koushi understands me," he confirmed. "But my son, there is really nothing to be worried about. This is a good chance to learn about how more elaborate kingdoms operate outside of what you've been taught during your lessons. Rosavna is a wonderful kingdom with an abundance of diverse peoples that you'll no doubt be interested in."

"I'm...I'm not concerned about all of that to be honest Father, I'm more concerned about meeting-"

"I knew it!"

Suga blinked at Mother, who clapped her hands excitedly. "What?"

"You're nervous about seeing the princess again!"

He turned his face away, a rush of heat rising to his face as he propped his chin on his hand to look out the window. "Don't make it sound like that Mother, I'm simply wondering if she's turned into all of the other royals."

"I hardly believe that one as kind and smart as her would continue to send letters if she was more focused on her image," Father replied thoughtfully. "What I like about her is that she was always very aware of herself as the heir. Strong and could probably take poor Koushi's head off with a sword if she really wanted to."

There was no doubt about that. Koushi was mortified many times as a child when it came to sparring contests with Mara. Where other royals were burning their tongues on tea in etiquette classes, Mara had forgone hers to train with the knights and military generals so that she would never have to worry about defending herself if the need arose. Suga hated to admit it, but she was almost as good as he was with a bow and arrow.

But he was eighteen now, no longer a child, and he knew his skills in long range combat had been honed much more strictly over the years. Not only that, the mischievous, giggly prince turned into someone kind, generous and a master strategist. However, if he had changed that much over the past five years, he could only begin to imagine how his playmate had changed as well.

"Of course, but no one has a brain like our Koushi," his mother encouraged.

"Do you think we'll have time to see the city?" he asked.

"I actually hoped you would join me in a meeting to be had later on after the coronation," Father told him. "It's going to take a few days of our stay, but it's very important."

Suga frowned at that, but kept staring out of the window. "Why would there be a meeting during a royal coronation?"

A quick silence met his question. When he received nothing as a reply, his head turned again to his father. Their eyes met and more silence met him. He sat up, hands clasped in his lap, waiting.

"Oh look, you can see the wall!"

The timing couldn't have been better. The rise of the weather beaten grey stone was large and intimidating. Elvedare didn't have such walls, the forest was enough for them to not need one. Alvaras clearly seemed stronger in that moment, a place that was rough and sturdy, but menacing in size. Gorgeous blue flags waved at them as their carriage rolled through the city. It was bustling in a way that Suga had only seen during the busy seasons in Elvedare. Merchants were shouting, children running through the crowds, women hauling baskets overflowing with fish and other merchandise. Horses clipped their way past them on the roads, much more than what he was used to. This was the city that Mara lived in? He had never really believed her when she said there was never a dull moment. Clearly he was wrong to have doubted her.

Trumpets blared their arrival once they reached the castle, almost an hour later. His mother gently straightened the green cape around his shoulders before the door to their carriage was opened by their attendants.

"Welcoming the royal family of Elvedare, the Kingdom of Flowers! Presenting His Majesty King Soru, King of Elvedare. By his side, Her Majesty Queen Linara, Queen of Elvedare. Accompanied by their son, His Royal Highness, Prince Koushi, Prince of Elvedare."

Suga walked out with his shoulders raised, his feet standing firmly one step behind his parents. There were many people there, all of which he had never seen before. The carpet that led up to the stairs were no doubt the same shade of blue of the ocean that Suga caught the cool breeze of. It smelled different here, salty and kind of murky, not what he had originally thought the seaside kingdom would smell like. His cape ruffled around his body with quick snaps that chilled him. Suga's heart hammered in his chest. It was now or never. All of the classes he had taken prepared him for this moment.

"Don't worry my dear Koushi," his mother assured him quietly as they walked into the castle. "There is nothing to be worried about."

The stone in this throat was enough for him to have to nod slightly at her. The castle itself was so much larger than their home. Bricks of grey, weather worn and strong surrounded them. Covered in long tapestries, the throne room in front of them was gilded in gold and sapphires. The familiar, however aged, faces of the King and Queen of Alvaras greeted them with warm smiles.

"My friends, it has been so long!" the king greeted. His arms opened wide after they had all bowed. "It has been quite the many years hasn't it?"

"Regulos, congratulations on this success," Father greeted, clasping their arms together. "I can only imagine how proud you are."

"It is a complete joy to be here Honoura," Mother added, her hands clasping the other queen's warmly. "But where is Mara? I mustn't lie, I was looking forward to seeing her when we arrived."

"She's currently in a training session, the little one would never miss those if her life depended on it," King Regulos laughed. "Nevermind that, look at this tall one over your shoulder! Prince Koushi, could it really be?"

Suga bowed. "It's my pleasure to finally be here to see your kingdom Your Majesty."

His shoulder was patted affectionately by a hand with glittering rings. "Always kind and respectful. But goodness me, you really have sprouted these days. Last I remember, Mara was poking all the fun at you for being smaller than her."

Suga smiled softly. "Well, age waits for no one. Growing up isn't something that can be easily prevented."

The adults laughed and it made his stomach settle slightly. It was like there was no time that had passed between them. His friendship with the princess had ensured that the families had stayed close, much closer than any of the other royal families that had visited during the summer seasons. There was a warmth of the castle and the laughter that made Suga wonder what he really had been worrying too heavily about. Until he was quickly reminded.

"You, lad," King Regulos summoned an attendant with a wave of his hand. "Take Prince Koushi to the training grounds where the princess is. I'm more than sure they have lots to catch up on."

"Oh but what about-"

Suga's words were waved off. "Your rooms have already been taken care of, another servant can show you to them once the feast is prepared. In the meantime, have fun! You're in Rosavna my boy, enjoy your stay!"

There was nothing to refute a command of a king in his own home. Suga nodded his consent, ensuring that he wouldn't spend too much time fooling around. The castle was expansive. He asked several questions to the young boy accompanying him. Rosavna was terribly old, much older than Elvedare. It had started as a seaport town that quickly grew because of how popular it became with all of the fish and sea creatures that could be found in the sea. Before long, the kingdom grew and expanded, the rich luxury and advantageous military position that it was in enough for Rosavna to have fought a fair share of battles and wars. Most he had known from his studies, but it was nice to hear someone else talk about it for a change. By the time they reached the training ground, Suga was cracking jokes with the attendant and telling him about Elvedare.

"We supply most royal houses with flowers for their occasions," he was saying. "There are many that we house, some we plant only during certain seasons however."

"Has Elvedare ever gone to battle?"

Suga laughed. "Thankfully we have never had to. We are a peaceful kingdom, we don't take part in aggressive battles or wars. Elvedare has always remained a neutral party."

The clanging of swords brought his attention up. With his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes roamed the grounds. Few men littered the training ground, the two sparring not seen, but very much heard. As he walked forwards, he could see the burly man heaving a glistening sword over his shoulder, taking a swipe at his opponent who ducked under him and knocked quickly at his calves. It didn't bring him down, but he stumbled over his feet before he caught himself. Suga personally knew he would have a hard time with a man that large. He was quick on his feet yes, but his strength lay in waiting for his opponent to tire before he took his move.

"What would you do facing him, Your Highness," questioned the boy at his side.

"Tire him out," Suga said, his eyes not leaving the sparring. "I'm not the largest of men, but I know where my skills lie. He would tire faster than I and well, the bigger they are, the harder they fall."

"That's the princess's ideal method as well," Suga was told and he closed his mouth abruptly.

The figure batting around the man was indeed the princess. Her hair was longer than he had seen it, braided down her back as she danced around her enemy, teasing him with taps with the flat of the sword gripped in her hand. She was light on her feet despite the leather she was wearing and the dusty boots that stepped across the dirt, sliding one way and then the next in the blink of an eye. Before his eyes he watched her spin quickly past a broad stroke towards her chest and knock the man's feet from under him, knee pressed into his shoulder blades, tip of her sword pressed into the back of his neck.

"I concede," the man panted somberly.

"You lasted a few minutes longer today Gren," she laughed out breathlessly. "But you have to stop getting frustrated when you can't land a blow. Your technique becomes sloppy and you leave too many openings."

"Understood Your Highness, thank you. Is there anything else?"

"Your footwork tends to be your weak point. Focus on being stable within your knees." She handed her blade off to an attendee. "Other than that, I am very proud of your improvement."

"Pardon the interruption Your Highness, but may I present his Royal Highness, Prince Koushi of Elvedare."

Suga wanted to elbow the lad for the poor timing. He watched Mara whip around, her braid wrapping around her shoulder. Her eyes were wide, mouth open in shock when her brown gaze fell on him. Suga hardly had time to raise his hand in a hello before she barrelled to him, arms wrapping around his neck and sending them into a heap onto the ground.

"Suga!"

"Hello Mara, it's nice to see you too."

"When did you arrive?!" She squeezed him tightly and he grimaced.

"Just now. Mara, you literally smell like a stable."

"Oh hush, it's been what, five years?" She pulled away from him despite her words, her hand grasping his to pull him to his feet. The murmurs around them were loud enough for him to rub the back of his head. Of course he had expected her to be friendly, but with the amount of people around, the old Mara would have maintained at least a sliver of royal mannerisms.

"Come now, we've sent plenty of letters between us," he chastised despite the blush that rose to his cheeks. "Do you go around tackling all of the princes you see?"

"Only the ones that have finally come to the castle for the first time," she teased. The glittering smile on her face made him smile back down at her, warmly. "God Suga, it really is good to see you."

He could feel it in his chest. He was glad he was here. "It's good to see you too. And it's good to see that you've gotten better at swordsmanship."

Mara grinned. "Oh come on, we know your archery is way more impressive than what I can do. Care to show off a bit?"

The men around him were looking carefully. He wondered what they had heard about him. It was common knowledge that the army of Elvedare was smaller than most. In fact, it had been grown in the past few decades with all of the strife and concern that the previous rulers had. But in comparison to the Rosavna army, the troops Suga trained with and occasionally taught were few. Needless to say, the expectation was that their battle skills were just as small. Mara could tell what he was thinking. All of the men around him didn't believe a single word the princess was saying about him. They thought that he was the feeble little flower prince, a title that he hated when he had heard it from nobles growing up. The smirk on her face was enough to convince him that he needed to prove them all wrong.

"Alright, a few arrows won't hurt, " he agreed. Turning to the attendant that had brought him there, he carefully unclasped his cloak to hand over. She handed him a bow, one that he tested and deemed adequate before shouldering a quiver of sturdy blue feathered arrows.

"This is going to be so exciting," she muttered so only he would hear.

"Don't spoil the fun," he muttered back. They walked over to the shooting range, archers losing focus at the sight of a new royal to which they bowed to but with immediate judgement. "The looks on their faces will be one for the books don't you think?"

"Perhaps. Care to make a wager?" Mara questioned.

"What would you like to bargain for?" Suga replied. His gaze focused on the straw victim placed at least thirty feet in front of him.

"Hmm," Mara stood by his side and opened her palm. Her hand was dusted with soil from her recent battle, callused and worn. Not the type of hand you would see from a princess, but a royal hand nonetheless. They had made wagers like this when they were children. He couldn't remember the count, but secretly he felt like he had the upper hand of their little challenges. "Three kill shots and we spend tomorrow doing whatever you wish."

"And if I lose?"

"You will be my escort to the coronation."

Louder murmurs made Suga put the bow down and look at her. A proclamation like that was something that would no doubt get the kingdoms talking. It was no secret that there were many princes that were looking for Mara's hand in marriage, especially within the announcement of her coronation. But for him to escort her to it would make it seem...

"Mara..."

"Did these years make you cowardly Suga," she asked innocently, brown eyes blinking at him. He let out an exasperated noise. Was he really going to fall for the tactics that she used to bait him with when they were ten? "Oh well, that's fine, I shall just-"

"I hate it when you do that," Suga sighed. "Fine, I accept your wager."

He drowned out her laughter as she took a few steps back from where he stood. The pull of the bow was a familiar weight as he nocked an arrow. Setting was easy enough, even in the tight fit of his jacket. The straw dummy quickly received an arrow straight to it's head, the clamour and shock that arose making Suga smirk. In a few short motions two more were buried in the straw skull and his eyes fell to Mara, her arms crossed and eyes raised.

"Fine. Tomorrow is yours to decide. But I have another wager," she proposed.

"I'm ready to win another," he smirked.

"That one," she pointed at a hay bale that sat even farther than the dead dummy. "Three arrows, same spot, and I'll tell you a secret. You lose, and I win you as an escort."

"Deal," Suga agreed, an arrow already in his hand as he took aim. Hitting the first one was easy, the arch of the arrow having everyone hold their breath before they cheered. The second arrow wobbled in the air, a dramatic effect that made his audience worry until it buried itself into its partner, breaking off the blue end of the first. But just as his fingers let go of the last arrow, a sharp wind snapped and he watched in dismay as his arrow veered downwards and fell into the dirt.

"Well would you look at that," Mara exclaimed with triumph. "Nice attempt."

"Do the winds blow that haphazardly all of the time?" he gapped. The soldiers gave an uneven confirmation. "That was extremely uncalled for! I demand a rematch."

"That wasn't in the deal," she grinned. "Too bad, it was a good secret too."  
"Aren't we a bit too old to be playing these childish games?" he said, handing off the weaponry to an attendee that appeared by his side.

"Don't fret like that Suga, you're escorting a princess to her coronation! Feel honoured."

Suga backtracked, the searing annoyance that made him scowl leave his face. "Of course, I'm sorry. It would be a pleasure, Your Highness."

"That sounds like the kind prince I know. Now come, we have so much to catch up on."

* * *

Mara hadn't changed. It was like meeting a taller version of the child that he had taken to the meadow ten years ago. But she was more refined, more sophisticated as well as even more playful. Suga and her talked about everything that had happened in the years they hadn't seen one another.

Mara told him of the many hands proposed to her once the announcement of her coronation came. Kingdoms that had never spoken to them were suddenly sending proposals that she turned down as gracefully as she could. With all of that pressure, Suga knew that he would have a hard time. She was getting ready to officially be the one to inherit such a powerful place, yet she spoke about it as if it was nothing. Maybe it was the fact that she had always known everything would be hers one day. Or maybe it was just typical Mara being able to handle anything that was thrown at her.

Suga told her the same of him. Several kingdoms had visited, their princesses trying to win his affections to no avail. He always treated them kindly, as he would anyone, but it was not in his interest to look for another. All of his attention went into his studies, archery, exploring the forest, and learning everything that he could about his kingdom.

At the feast all they did was talk, occasionally being interrupted by all of the other royal families that had been invited for the coronation happening in only four short days. In retrospect, Mara should have been paying at least minimal attention to her guests, thanking them for their time and arrival. But Suga and her couldn't stop with their aimless chatter and laughter, occasionally answering questions posed to them by royals neither of them could remember the name of before turning back to their own conversations.

By the time Suga was brought to his room by the end of the night, his voice felt like it was going to dry out. It was a lovely room, peered in by the moonlight that shone directly against the sturdy and large wooden bed covered in sheets of navy. Delicate carvings of waves ran under his fingertips as he inspected the walls of his temporary lodgings. This room was much grander than the ones that he had in his home; the furnishings perhaps not, but the twinkling silvers that caught his eye made him realize how much wealth a port kingdom really did have. Mara came as a child, enamoured by flowers when she had all of these riches at her fingertips?

"Could you send for a pitcher of water?" he asked a servant child who nodded and bounced out of sight from the door. It gave him enough time to loosen the jeweled buttons on his jacket before taking it off altogether and breath a little lighter. From his window he could sit and see the sea. It glittered as a large dark mass sparkling white with waves that lapped the boats in the harbour and the sandy shore. Suga really couldn't believe that there was an end to it. That somewhere, if he travels far enough on those dark waters, he would end up on the shores of somewhere that he had never seen before. In fact, if he didn't know better, he would have really thought that the water went on forever. The scent of salt was everywhere. It was cool and clean. He took deep gulping breaths with his eyes closed. Yes, he thought, I think I might prefer this over the scent of the meadows.

"Suga!"

He was startled away from the window, his eyes turning to the bright ones of Mara. She closed the door easily behind her, the sweep of her blue nightdress making her look ghostly and ethereal in the light.

"What are you doing here?!"

"What's got you all riled up?" She sat opposite him, bringing her knees up and looking out of the window. "I knew you would like this view. I made sure that you were the one that got this room."

"Do you know what people would say if they caught you here?" Suga sighed with exasperation.

Mara laughed, a flip of her dark hair over her shoulder. It was down fully now, not in a braid like in her training, nor in tightly coiled buns at the base of her neck. They fell in waves around her, ones almost as dark as the water that lulled them into a comforting silence. She was quite pretty, he had begun to realize. Much prettier than when he had first seen her.

"People are already talking about us royals Suga," she giggled. "Time and time again, even when we were children scrambling for paper and ink to write to each other. Your letters would pass through many hands before they got to me, and I'd be feigning ignorance to say that I didn't hear the rumours."  
Suga was abashed, flushed pink. "There are rumours? I've never heard anything about... anything in Elvedare."

"That's because you live under a rock, or buried in the library, or the forest when you don't want to be in the castle," she reasoned. "People talk and you hear them Suga, but you don't listen. Not that there's anything to worry about in Elvedare compared to here."

Suga furrowed his brow and turned back to the sea. The sound of the waves filled their silence peacefully. His mind tossed over the idea of all of these words being said about him and not having a clue. Were there others really whispering in private corners about his friendship with Mara? What would they even be saying? They hadn't seen each other in years, surely that was enough reason to prove that there was nothing going on whatsoever.

"They say that it's the reason why I haven't been betrothed," Mara told him, not wavering her gaze from the water. "And the reason that I have personally turned down the numerous attempts from princes for my hand. Father and Mother aren't like the ones before them. They want me to find someone that I actually care for before I commit a life to them."

"If that's the case, then it makes sense why everyone would be talking," Suga replied with a sigh. "I feel the same. Father saw Mother at a banquet years ago and won her affections. She was from a minor noble family, a complete scandal in the line. Princes were expected to marry within their ranking as you know."

Mara wrinkled her nose at him. "That sounds so boring. Your mother is wonderful, so soft and generous."

Suga smiled. "Yes, she is. It was their union that allowed for Uncle to be able to live in the country with his family rather than the castle. All I could say was that I heard that Grandfather was fuming about it for years, especially when Uncle married one of Mother's ladies."

"It must be nice, to know that your family values love."

Suga stretched his arms over his head. "When your kingdom is littered with flowers of all shapes and sizes, it's hard not to think about growth and love and care. The valleys are full of people who love the petals more than anything else in the world. You should see some of the declarations of love made throughout the year."

Mara smiled softly, her chin on her knew. The look in her gaze was something sad, wistful. "That sounds wonderful Suga."

"Why do you look like that then?"

"Because I know that all us Alvalars, and everyone else for that matter, see Rosavna as a place that is fueled for commerce. This is a place that represents money and wealth. Your people see petals, mine see glittering coins and jewels. But within those things comes danger and risk. Everyone is greedy Suga, everyone wants to be richer. And lots of people will go to great lengths to do so."

"Is that why you asked me to escort you?" Suga questioned. "It was more than just competition like the old days."

"I do want you to escort me!" she replied earnestly.

Suga raised an eyebrow at her. "Okay but there's something that you're not telling me."

"Having an escort is heard of, people used to do it all of the time," she pressed. Suga stood, his arms stretching above his head yet again to feel the comforting pull of his muscles. Mara was keeping something from him, clearly. He wouldn't push her to tell him.

"I asked a servant boy to bring up water so long ago," he sighed, flopping onto the bed.

"The kitchens aren't very close to this side of the castle," he heard Mara say. The stoned ceiling looked so sturdy above him. That was what Rosavna was like. The whole Alvalars line was as sturdy as this building. Mara didn't need an escort. But she wanted one. Why?

"The coronation is going to be the first thing that I've ever done on my own," she began softly. "Father and Mother aren't there to walk in front of me, or be at my side at all. Being alone is by far my biggest weakness. I'm a woman, the sole heir to this huge kingdom full of rough men who are always fighting and causing havoc at every corner. It was years before the troops saw me as an equal and I had to be twice as fierce as any of them for them to consider me more than just a pretty princess who simply wanted to play with the lads.

"Yes, I know. People talk about us. They wonder if you've secretly proposed your hand to me, and I had secretly accepted. And if you escort me, undoubtedly there is going to be more talk amongst the people. However I don't care for rumours, especially when I know that they're not true. But if I can't have my family by my side to help me on what is going to be one of the most important days of my life, I would very much like my greatest friend to take that place instead."

Suga stared at her. Her eyes were on him, the moonlight outlining her like some kind of angel. He couldn't see all of the emotions in her eyes, it was far too dark on his end. But he heard it in her voice. It wasn't like them to need anything from the other. Their friendship was more on the side of little secrets and hidden truths like this that they didn't tell anyone else. But Mara needed him.

"Your Highness," he said as he stood. "It would be my absolutely honour to escort you to your coronation." Suga's hand extended to hers and she took it with a smile. Quickly he pulled her to her feet and spun her in a circle, her laughter pealing as he let her go.

"Thank you," she told him gently. Her arms reached, wrapped around his shoulders as she hugged him tightly. "This world would be a lonely place if I didn't have you as a friend Suga."

"The same goes for me Mara. Now get out of here before that servant boy really does have a rumour to tell."

\--------------------------------

_Remember that you can access chapters ahead of time on my[Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/awriterrambles) by subscribing to my $5/$8 tiers!_

_You can find other links[here](https://linktr.ee/ambikuous)._

_:)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	4. A Riverside Melody

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga learns that perhaps acting on his emotions isn't exactly the best plan when it comes to running away.

By the time Suga felt it was time to stop riding, the night had turned into the middle of the afternoon. The sun shone through large pockets of trees onto the road, a bright yellowed colour. Stopping was mostly for his benefit; the tumble of nerves in his stomach that he dismissed as nervousness bloomed into hunger and thirst. They had only traveled several miles, not the distance he wanted to put within them and Elvedare, but it was enough for him to begin to push Juniper off the normal dirt road into the less traveled trails.

The forest was a place that he knew almost as well as the back of his hand. He had rode through them time and time again, chasing behind rabbits and squirrels and even the occasional doe. He trained his patience and practiced using arrows in narrow angles with help of the wide tree trunks and masses of bushes. Over the years, the forest grew and changed, so there was always something new to see, or an empty meadow to discover. Despite all of the surprises, Suga still felt as if he was in familiar territory, enough to pull the hood of his cloak off of his head.

"We're going to take a moment to breathe Junip," he told the horse who snorted in answer. "But I want to go even farther than they would expect."

His plan was to go all the way to Drummand, a slowly growing town by the coast of the ocean that he had only seen passing. It was mostly a pitstop for people who were traveling to the bigger kingdoms and needed a place to water their horses and buy supplies for the road. A Town of Travelers, it was known to be called. People came and went, some lasting longer than most, or some hardly staying more than a day. Suga wasn't sure if he was going to stay there for long. Stepheno knew his ideas almost as quickly as Suga figured them out himself. Drummad was just the first stop. It was the perfect place to run away to. Face to face encounters were brief and no one asked questions as long as you had...

"Money," Suga breathed out, his heart dropping in his chest. He had no money. It never dawned on him that he, a prince, would ever need to carry money on his person. It was a scarce occurrence when the people of Elvedare would allow him to pay for something to begin with. If he ever wanted to pay for something in the city, an attendant by his elbow was always the one to handle the payment. But he was on his own now, absolutely horrified that he would make such a stupid mistake.

"Godammit!" His voice startled birds out of the trees. How was he going to survive a world of commerce without any money?

As the minutes went by, brushing small twigs away from his face, Suga slowly began to think that he was too rash, that this was all kind of a mistake. Should I return? If I went back now, would people even notice that I had been gone? Would they just see and assume that he was simply on another forest escapade that would let him clear his head? He leapt off Juniper and looked at the horse. Suga's heart sat heavily in his stomach as he rested his forehead against Juniper's neck.

"Stop panicking," he told himself quietly. "Going to Drummand was the idea, but you can live in the forest. Not ideal, but there's enough game and berries and the river is right there you can hear it. Elenora is what you turn to if you go back home."

He could see it. He would walk into the throne room and she would be standing there, golden and littered in jewels that would be more than enough to save Elvedare from poverty with a victorious smile on her face. The thought of Elvedare's crown on her blonde head sent a shot of hot rage down his spine. It was her fault that he was in this situation to begin with. Why couldn't she have just kept to herself back then? Was she that selfish to use Elvedare's pain to get what she wanted?

"Elenora would be a terrible queen to Elvedare," Suga told Juniper quietly. He could hear the sound of the rushing river that ran through the forest in the distance. It was where the kingdom took their water from in order to take care of all of the valleys that needed hydration and couldn't depend on the numerous wells that dotted the land. His horse and him both deserved a moment to drink from it before setting off again.

Juniper snorted in what Suga took as agreement to his statement.

"Imagine Junip. Armies of men just walking into Elvedare and ruining all of the valleys. She never understood why everyone loved them. Elenora wouldn't thrive in Elvedare and so you know what she would do? She would change it. There would be no more flowers, just smoke and ash and steam from men forging weapons and taking things from the people who need it the most. Do you know the amount of people who live in poverty in Somoza? It's beyond ridiculous. But as long as the wealthy stay wealthy, then there isn't a problem is there?"

Suga sighed heavily, annoyed. Juniper lowered his head into the stream, shaking his head when the cool water rushed into him. Suga sighed again, walked his horse farther down the stream where it branched off into a small pool that stayed still. As long as Suga was in the general vicinity and in his eyesight, Juniper wouldn't move anywhere but to him. Suga walked back to the running water.

It was cold when he shoved his hands in, cupping it to splash on his face. After riding for the entire night, it was a good feeling. Most of the adrenaline that had kept him up and aware was fading fast. His face stared back at him when he looked into the river. Hair a silver mess from riding, eyes tired and wanting sleep, mouth frowned at the corners. This wasn't him. Where was the happy, jolly, alway grinning prince that everyone declared him to be?

"Come on Junip," he called out. His horse turned to him, a mouthful of grass being chewed on. Suga's own belly rumbled. "Okay, perhaps food is a good idea."

He rummaged around in one of the saddlebags for a bright red apple. The kitchen boy really didn't spare any thought when he brought food for him. Suga had opened the cloth to find apples, thick cuts of cheese, half large rolls of bread, a variety of nuts and a whole bundle of grapes that Suga knew he needed to finish because they didn't sit well during travels. To think that he had this much food on him while there were people struggling with this season's harvest made him frown again.

There had never been this many issues with the planting seasons. For as long as he could remember, up until the last four years, any type of growing or harvesting issue was solved in only a few months.

Insects could be drawn away with certain herb mixtures applied to the flowers and crops. Soils could be given nutrients from manures and left over food scraps if they weren't holding the crops well. Weather was always an unpredictable issue, but they had built small houses over certain areas that were sturdy enough to protect from rain and strong winds. To have the crops, flowers, and medicinal herbs have issues for the past several years... Something wasn't right there.

The apple was done sooner than he would have liked. The core was offered to Juniper who took it immediately and Suga brushed his hands off on his pants, his mind still whirling around what could have really happened to Elvedare.

"Come on friend, let's get a move on." They walked several miles, Suga deciding that sitting down wouldn't be a good idea. Rather wanting to sleep when night actually fell, his one hand held the reins and the other settled beneath his cloak, in his trouser pocket. If Suga's eyes were open, he would be on the move.

Eventually he spotted a merchant on his cart, pulled by two sturdy brown bulls with horns crusted with dirt. The man himself seemed like the usual type; hard working with sun soaked skin and an older face under the straw hat he wore on his head. A dingey brown cloak over his shoulders made the man look hunched with an invisible weight. He was the type of man that Suga had seen on the streets, almost missed under an entire cart full of bright, blooming flowers.

"Good sir, may I ask a question of you," Suga called out, walking up to him carefully, praying the man wasn't Elvedarian.

"Of course lad, ask away." The cart was halted briefly.

"How many days is it to Drummand from here?"

"Oh, you've got ways to go unfortunately." The man looked over his shoulder and pointed with a crooked finger. "This road takes ya there until a fork. Stay on ya right and it'll take ya there in perhaps seven days or so. But lad, these parts ain't the safest, best hide in the trees durin' the night."

"Not the safest?" This was the first time Suga had heard of anything like that.

"Aye. There be robbers in these parts now. Elvedare ain't the place it used to be, I tell ya."

"I heard that it was struggling, but surely it cannot be that bad for robbers to be so close to the city."

"Ya would think so. With the way things have been goin'," the man shook his head and sighed. "Trust me lad, it be tough times. The king, he's doin' his best, we know, but... well I hope that young lad of his marries that princess."

Suga was appalled. The people already knew?

"The princess?"

"The Soma one. There's a rumour that she's after his hand, people from Somoza have been talkin' bout it, and if the boy cares about the land as much as he says he does, that Prince Koushi better be leapin' to marry her. She's apparently quite the pretty thin', fair like a daisy I've heard. "

Her beauty may be vast, but her heart makes her horrifying, Suga thought. Like oleander.

"To tell ya, I miss when the other princess would visit," the man continued. Suga's heart fell yet another time. "I always reckoned they'd be the ones tyin' the knot. But with a princess that can get rejected by Prince Koushi? Ya know somethin' has to be wrong with her if Koushi had to let her down."

Suga swallowed, clearing his throat so he didn't say something in retaliation even though his tongue itched to speak. "I see. Well many thanks for your help, I best let you be on your way."

"Stay safe now lad, them robbers ain't afraid to get their hands bloody for a few scraps."

Suga nodded, his feet carrying him away, heart slamming in his ears. It had been four years. For long, lonely, and empty years and people still thought that of her? There had been no contact between the two of them for so long. Had she not proven herself to be the most skilled princess that the entire nation had ever seen? Or did everyone simply care to gossip and trade false old secrets about things that they had no idea about? Wasn't there more important things to focus on than a scandal from years ago?

It was no wonder Mara hated him. He would probably hate anyone that had caused his reputation to be ruined for years to come. Mara had taught him that he needed to actually listen instead of just hear what was going on. Suga was appalled at what was really discussed in the royal inner circle. Everyone in Elvedare knew that he kept an eye out for slander against Mara. But he also heard about everything else regarding her. She had dozens of triumphs over the years. There had been a handful of attacks on Rosavna from the sea to try and get control of the port, but it was her who saved it from being absolutely overturned. She had created an entirely new monetary system in her Rosavna, making it easier for merchants from different areas and nations to establish commerce in her home. There were less people on the streets begging for scraps, she created a new labour system so that people could work and no longer go hungry. Despite all of that, other royal houses brushed off her accomplishments because of what happened at her coronation. Princess Amaratha's entire reputation was in flames, and was still burning. Suga felt like his entire insides could crumble into ash as well.

Before long, it was dark. Suga was wary of the warnings he had received and pulled Juniper off the main road into the darkened trees until he found a comfortable circle big enough for his horse to settle, and for him to start a fire. As he strunk flint together, watching the sparks catch on dry branches and tufts of grass, he could hear the river beside them. It spoke in a melody that he didn't understand but that lulled him into a warm haze as he reached into the saddle bag and plucked grapes to pop into his mouth, offering some to Juniper who took several between intervals of grass.

Orange flames danced, toasting his cold toes. He wondered if the palace knew he was missing by now. He wondered what had happened to the kind little kitchen boy that he had lied to. What would Father and Mother think once they realized that he ran away? He wondered what Elenora would do once she got wind of his escape. Would she try and take back all of the supplies she had sent? Would she send them to war?

He scoffed. "She wouldn't go that far."

Suga wondered and wondered until his eyes grew heavy and he leaned against the warm side of his horse, eyes closing. The strange song of the river drifted him down into the path of a saddened sleep, one that was only filled with regret and the soft desire to look at Mara and tell her how sorry he was. Behind his eyes, he saw her as he had first met her, a pretty child with brown eyes that were wide and stared at him like he hung the moon, only to grow into ones that glared, eyebrows furrowed in anger and resentment.

The river couldn't wash away his dreams. It simply sang a melody that made him wish that he never fell asleep in the first place. Especially when he was awoken to dangerously close, loud voices and Juniper rising to his feet. 

\--------------------------------

_Remember that you can access chapters ahead of time on my[Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/awriterrambles) by subscribing to my $5/$8 tiers!_

_You can find other links[here](https://linktr.ee/ambikuous)._

_:)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	5. Stupid Flower Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Turns out running away brings to light questions about Elvedare's safety that Suga wasn't even aware needed to be asked.

It was the sound of hooves that woke Suga up at first. His neck and shoulders ached deeply, making him turn over back into his pillows. But the sudden yelps of loud voices had him crashing to the ground, his eyes pulling open when his skull bounced against nothing close to what could be a pillow. He blinked away the blurry haze of sleep. Juniper had risen to his feet which was why Suga ended up bouncing the back of his head on the flattened grass. He wasn’t in his chambers. He had fallen asleep against his horse on the hard grassy floor. As he listened, incomprehensible voices made him rub his eyes quickly and pass several knuckles over his mouth. His entire hand wrapped around the hilt of one of the daggers at his hip as he slowly got to his feet, listening.

"Letting him slip away from us after he punched the wall was your mistake." 

"How was I supposed to know the kid had a temper? He's a goddamn  _ flower prince _ ." 

"You're as stupid as you look, you know that right? The entire palace is looking for him right now and the princess said she would skin us alive if we didn't report everything that happened."

"What she doesn't know for now, won't hurt her. It takes several several days for a falcon to reach her, we find him before that."

Suga's eyebrows furrowed. The rough voices weren't ones he had heard before. Were they from the palace? There were far too many servants for him to know personally, but these didn't sound like good people… they sounded hostile. Anyone from the palace wouldn’t talk about him like that, he knew that for certain. Besides, his father would have sent Stepheno after him once they realized he had run away. So who were these men?

As quietly as he could, he pulled Juniper to his side, down another dirt trail through a cluster of trees. Whatever those gruff voices wanted, it didn't make him want to meet them. He didn't know where the trail he set foot on led, but he prayed it wasn't circular. The thought of being outnumbered wasn't ideal. Being on the run didn't immediately include needing to fight anyone that got in his way. Moreover, he didn’t want to cause any injuries to other people, or himself to others, much less himself. 

"Move quietly Juniper," he whispered. 

Juniper snorted softly, his hooves muffled by the soft earth and grass underfoot. The underbrush wasn't thick compared to other parts of the forest, despite how close they were to the river. His heart beat loudly in his chest, eyes looking strictly at the dusty boots on his feet as his mind ran around wildly. 

From the snippets that he heard, Suga was being followed in the palace, and had been for quite some time. All of his movements were noted down and reported, sent by a falcon to… a princess? Impossible. All servants were from the city or the adjacent towns referred by trusted and seasoned individuals who already worked in the palace. They were only granted an audience if referred by others who had been working in the palace for at least a year. But Suga knew that they didn't know everyone that walked into the palace doors. Elvedare wasn't the type of place that was a victim to spies. No one ever cared too much about who was walking through the halls. Suga's mouth soured, dry and with a bitter assumption.

Elenora was having him followed. Ironically, it didn’t strike him as a surprise. The rumours about how she plotted and planned were immense. Elenora was the brain that the Soma family had lacked within previous years. She was an equally skilled strategist compared to him, having actually been able to apply her knowledge in practice with all of the Somozan battles and coups she had been involved in since was a young child. Did she want him so badly that she would send  _ spies _ to have him followed? How insane was she? It was even more horrifying to wonder how long this had been going on for.

_She's dangerous,_ Suga thought with worry. _Never mind the palace looking for me, if she gets word that I'm no longer there, things will go south._

"I have tracks!" 

"Fuck," Suga muttered. He pulled Juniper out of the trees, the grassy shore of the river running wide. Hopping onto his back, Suga took off, hoping the sound of the river would hide Juniper's galloping long enough so that he could leave a false trail as far as they could go.

"I have eyes, he's running!"

Suga gritted his teeth. Some plans only worked in theory. Seeing a break through the trees narrow enough for him to duck under and for Juniper to squeeze through, he aimed through them, hoping the men behind were too clunky to fit. Veering them to the left, Juniper ran through easily, coming out to the main road and bolting ahead.

Juniper was fast. Suga had trained him that way, making him race other steeds in the stable, encouraging him with small handfuls of sugar every time that he beat his opponent. Despite that comfort, Suga looked behind them, three people chasing him, having broken through the trees themselves. Their faces were covered with dirty cloth, their horses a generic brown, and large swords in their hands. Nothing identifiable. Nothing to clue him in on whether they actually worked for Elenora. But when the lead man waved his sword in the air Suga’s heart leapt. hIf Suga hadn't been worried before, the glinting steel was enough for him to urge Juniper even faster. There was always the possibility of slowing them down but he didn't want to use his arrows. Wasting them wasn't ideal, especially with the warning he had received from the merchant only the day before. They had been planned to be used on thieves, but now he had to worry about being kidnapped by people loyal to his enemy. All he could do was hope that Juniper could outrun them, and then some. 

"Come on Juniper, run!"

The chase went on for longer than Suga thought it would. His heart hammered the entire time, sweat dripping down his face and the back of his neck. They shouted at him to stop, yelled at each other to keep going, and cursed him more than a few times. However each time Suga glanced over his shoulder, his fear mounted when he saw they were still there. 

"Juniper, it doesn't look like they're going to give up," he exclaimed. His heels gave two quick hits into the horse's ribs. "We have to go faster!"

His horse ran faster, the galloping of his hooves quickening and the exclamations of shock and anger echoing behind them. With a peek over his shoulder, he saw them being left in the dust, stopping once they realized that there was no way they would catch him. Suga didn't slow down. They ran for as long as he dared push Juniper over a distance. Once he thought they were far enough, he slowed them into a trot, panting almost as heavily as Juniper.

Suga wanted to scream. What the hell was going on? He was being chased by men with their weapons drawn? What did they plan on doing with him once they caught him, drag him back to Elvedare, bound and gagged? 

"What the fuck!" He repeated it over and over, yelling it until he was hoarse. As Juniper walked, Suga rested his forehead against his mane.

Was he in such a bubble in the palace? Spies, secret messages, covert offers from other nations. He thought that he knew about everything that happened in the kingdom. It was like a punch right to his gut. How could he have been so oblivious? What everyone said about him was right. He was just a flower prince, stupidly growing in a gated field while the rest of the world was pushing weeds through hard stone. Tears of frustration welled up in his eyes. He’s supposed to be a king someday. But he didn’t even know half of the problems that were being born and brought to Elvedare. 

They ran and ran, not stopping until Suga could see the sunlight rapidly leaving the sky and the forest was becoming too dark to navigate. His stomach burned with hunger, his throat dry and lips cracked. Juniper was glad to take a break, turning his head into the long tufts of grass that Suga led him through until they met in a small circle of trees right next to the river. He sat in silence, his head pounding as he heard only the sound of Juniper chewing and the water rushing into his hands before he ducked his whole head into the water. The water was freezing, shocking the hot sweat from his brow. He gasped loudly once he pulled himself out, pushing back soaking strands of hair from his face before looking upwards. Looking at the sky, the clouds hid the stars, the moon peeking out only slightly. It would rain soon, he could smell it in the air. His limbs were too tired to try and build some kind of shelter for himself and he’d never actually needed to build one of them without the help of someone at his side. Did he even remember how?

He laid back into the grass, eyes closed, his heart finally slowing. Drummand. It was the safest place he could go now that he knew he was being pursued. Staying on the outskirts of the town would be his only option since he had nothing to pay with, but that would be the best cover. The spies would scour all of Drummand looking for him while he would be right under their nose, making sure they were too busy looking before moving on to somewhere else. With a deep breath he felt the soft spatter of water on his face, an eye opened to Juniper shaking his head and dunking his mouth in the river. 

“I didn’t know running would have all of these things come to the surface,” Suga sighed out to the horse. “What kind of trouble are we  _ really _ in Junip?” 

The loud snap of a twig behind him had Suga leaping to his feet. The trees were dark, shadows coming only from the moon which was casting too faint a light for him to see anything more than several feet in front of him. He cursed himself for not trying to make a fire the moment he decided to settle. As quickly as he could, his bow came off of his shoulder and an arrow was drawn from his quiver. 

“I don’t want to have to hurt you,” he stated clearly into the dark. 

Only rustles answered him, coming from his left. With the arrow nocked, and bow pulled taut by his ear, he carefully listened over the river, a chilled drop of water skating down from his temple. His hand was steady despite how his nerves jumped at the movement of the bushes in front of him. He was going to shoot, no matter who it was. 

“Last chance to announce yourself before I shoot!” 

“Don’t shoot!”

Suga’s arm dropped immediately, his eyes blinking. He knew that voice. He had known it for years. But that was impossible, he made sure to leave no tracks. There was no way. There couldn’t have been, he was sure that he wasn’t followed. 

“Stepheno?”

The tall man pushed his way finally through the trees, blonde head identifying him as indeed the man who was tasked to be his personal guard. He looked much different than Suga was used to seeing him, dressed down in civilian clothes of white cotton and dark pants rather than bulky armour and chainmail. His cloak was a deep burgundy that hid the very evident clang of his sword that was tucked out of sight. 

“Sire,” he greeted. He was sheepish, embarrassed to have to announce himself so that Suga wouldn’t have shot clean through his shoulder. Suga just looked at him, mouth open and head cocked to the side, twisted in confusion. 

“What are you doing here?” Suga demanded.   
“I followed you,” Stepheno replied, an arm behind his back as he lowered to a knee, bowing his head in respect. “Sire there has been-”

“I’m not going back to Elvedare,” Suga told him, and with a turn of his shoulder he began putting his arrow back in his quiver and his bow over his chest. “You’ll have to drag me back there if that’s what you were tasked to do.”

Stepheno rose to his feet from behind, arms raised in mercy when Suga looked back. It was like Stepheno was trying to corner a scared dog. “You’re mistaken my lord, I’m not here to take you back to the palace.”

Suga raised an eyebrow. He didn’t believe him. Stepheno wasn’t the type to lie, but he was also the type of person to follow orders. It’s what made him become Suga’s personal guard at such a young age of seventeen despite his only connection being the blacksmith’s son for the previous head guard. They had grown up together. Stepheno had made Suga his first sword when they were young boys, one that ended up collecting dust in the armoury before Suga had it mounted in his chambers. In some ways Stepheno was the only real friend that Suga had in the palace compared to all of the noble children he was obligated to play with. But Suga still didn’t trust him, not fully. 

“Why are you here if it’s not to bring me back to get married to Elenora?”

Stepheno frowned at him, arms finally lowering to his side. “So the rumours about that are true then aren’t they my lord?”

Suga turned to Juniper, loosening one of the saddle bags just so he wouldn’t have to look at Stepheno in the eye, ashamed. “Yes. Father accepted her hand on my behalf. So I left.”

“I understand why you would run my lord. But I’m not here to take you back. I’m here to give you company.”

Suga turned to him with confusion. “Company?”

“It would be reckless to let the crowned prince of Elvedare run away without his guard.”

“Stepheno if you’re missing then what’s happening in Elvedare?”

“Do you mind if we discuss that in a moment? My horse is still on the path.”

“Yes alright.”

It only took several moments for Stepheno to bring a deep and sturdy chestnut coloured stallion through the trees and started setting up a fire as well. Suga simply sat and watched him. This wasn’t what he expected when he had planned on leaving. It was foolish of him to believe that this would be the typical story of a prince running away, somehow magically being able to escape with all of his expectations met without opposition. But to think that Stepheno was there and found him with such ease made him feel even more foolish than before. 

_ This is what I get for being so rash and not having a proper plan _ , Suga thought, his hand reaching into the saddle bag for an apple that he handed over to Stepheno once orange flames danced in front of them both. 

“It took only a couple days to realize that you had run,” Stepheno began. His muscular arms reached over his head in a stretch that made Suga roll his own shoulders. “The king didn’t want anyone to know that you were missing so he sent a select few to look around the castle. Her Highness simply thought you were sulking in an empty room and said not to worry. But when no one could find you, then the palace got worried. 

“Everyone was interrogated one by one and it was this small lad, his name I think Leo, who works in the kitchen who admitted that he had seen you and that you had told him you were simply staying in the forest for the night. It had been three days since that interaction and so the king tasked me to locate you.”

Suga looked at the flames as he chewed on his own apple. The sweetness of the bite turned into chalk on his taste buds. “What does he think of me?”

“He is worried,” Stepheno admitted. “Several of us know about the state of Elvedare in the palace and the Soma princess is nothing if unpredictable. The king’s main concern is finding you. He’s worried about your safety.”

He glared at the guard. “So you are here to bring me back.”

Stepheno looked at him carefully. His eyes were brown and danced in orange, steady as Suga examined him. “I was tasked with  _ finding _ you, sire. I was not given any other instructions. The king was very hasty in his decree.”

“Stepheno… you know that’s not-”

“The king’s instructions didn’t include anything else after finding you,” Stepheno told carefully, taking his own bite of apple. “Hypothetically speaking, if you were to provide me with another order to  _ not _ take you back to Elvedare until you  _ want _ to go back, then I would have to follow the order.”

Suga stared at him wearily. “Why would you do that?”  
“Because I believe that you know the best choice for the kingdom,” Stepheno replied without hesitation. “If you think that you need to leave Elvedare in order for it to be safe, then I agree with your judgement. Sire, you’ve spent every moment thinking and planning and strategizing on how to be the best ruler. I know the Somozan people. Whatever that princess has in mind will no doubt be dangerous.”

Suga nodded his agreement, but his heart felt full. Someone believed in him. Stepheno trusted that he knew what he was doing, blindly at that, despite all of their years. But his faith was there and Suga was grateful. 

“Thank you Stepheno.” His arm raised to give Juniper the core of his apple, finally remembering what had happened before all of this. “There’s something that we need to discuss. You’re not going to be happy about it.”

“What do you mean?”

“I believe that there’s been someone sending spies into the palace to keep a close eye on me as well as the goings on of Elvedare,” Suga told. 

“Spies my lord? Surely not.” Suga expected that reaction. It hardly made sense to him at first either.

“I was chased today, only several hours before I met you. I heard them say that they need to report to a princess about my movements. They followed me for as long as they could but I managed to outrun them.”

“A princess? You don’t think…”

“I think it's Elenora. Think about it, how else would she know about the issues with Elvedare if she didn’t already have someone on the inside? King Faustus never cared about us enough to extend his hand so he would have no knowledge whatsoever of the status of our kingdom. With a spy in the castle she would know about our status with money.”

“What else did you hear?”

Suga thought back. “They send the princess messages with a falcon which takes several days. Other than that, they’ve been in the palace for quite a while. They’ve masked themselves fairly well clearly, and it seems that they’ve been following me for a while. Long enough to think of me as a stupid flower prince.”

Stepheno frowned, adding more sticks to their fire. “That doesn’t sound very good my lord. With Elvedare being so vulnerable currently there isn’t much stopping an invasion or anything of the sort.”

“If it is Elenora,” Suga began thoughtfully. “Her main concern wouldn’t be to take over Elvedare. She knows it wouldn’t win me over. But I can’t pinpoint it exactly. What else could she want?”

Suga knew what Stepheno was thinking. This was getting far more complicated than just having left the kingdom. There was an inner threat that no one knew about, one that the kingdom was woefully unprepared for. 

“Do you think she will take action against Elvedare when she finds out you’re missing?”

“I believe that she’s going to attempt to find me, or lure me back,” Suga admitted. “And she’d use all the firepower that she could muster to get it.”

“What do you want to do sire?”

What  _ did  _ Suga want to do? The only way to protect Elvedare was to get help. There was no other solution. With everything that was threatening them, they couldn’t handle a battle, much less a battle against Somoza. The sheer number of the Somoza army would trample Elvedare. And if what Father had said to him was correct, other nations had been lending them grain for such a long period of time without anything in return. Elvedare couldn’t ask them to go to war on their behalf too. None of the kingdoms that he could think of immediately would dare put a toe to step up to Somoza. Other than…

Suga shook his head, sighing into the trees with a frown.   
“Sire? What is it?”

“I… I can’t think of a solution right now.”

“Sire if you have an idea, it always does well to say what it is.”

Suga rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palms, exhausted. “The only way for Elvedare to face Somozan troops is if they have help. But with Father having used most of our pleas for help being in the form of crops and grain, it wouldn’t be wise to ask other kingdoms to go to war for us. And no one would dare stand against the Somozan army unless they have a death wish.”

“But you thought of someone who would.”

Suga looked at him and sighed, head tilted up again to start at the branches overhead. Would admitting it make him feel better, or even more of a weakling?

“You’re thinking about Rosavna,” Stepheno answered for him. 

“Is it foolish of me to even consider them an option?”

“Of course not. It’s a very wise thought.”

“Mara would never help me. To go and ask her to defend against Elenora? After everything, it’s like adding salt to a wound and rubbing it in.”

His body lay flat against the ground, sadness and regret filling his senses. Mara would rather pull her own hair out than ever see his face again. She had told him that much, right to his face. Suga couldn’t find the courage to think about asking for help from them. She owed him nothing, and he owed her almost everything after what he did. 

“Sire I still think that you could try. If she says no, it wouldn’t be a surprise to you, correct?”

“Indeed Stepheno, it wouldn’t,” Suga answered bitterly.

“But what if you’re wrong?”

“I...well I’m not sure,” Suga admitted. “But the last time we talked Stepheno, she all but banished me from her life.”

“But what do we have to lose if we don’t at least try?”

“... we lose Elvedare,” Suga answered quietly. “So…”

“Rosavna?”

“Yes… yes we go to Rosavna.”

* * *

_Remember that you can access chapters ahead of time on my[Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/awriterrambles) by subscribing to my $5/$8 tiers!_

_You can find other links[here](https://linktr.ee/ambikuous)._

_:)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	6. Cuts of Ruby Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As much as he hates it, Suga isn't afraid to get blood on his hands.

When the morning came through the trees in a bright stream of sun into their faces, Suga was brought to speed properly about what was happening in Elvedare whilst they started back on their journey. The city was faring the same as he had left it; an increase in robberies, thefts, and general crimes that slowly getting worse. His parents were running amok through the castle walls having to handle all of the issues within the emptying treasury and deals they created to barter with other kingdoms for support. To add onto all of that, now they were wondering what had happened to Suga.

“They don’t know if you had truly run away, or if someone had taken you. But since we all have an inkling about the spat you had with the king-”

“It wasn’t a  _ spat _ ,” Suga interrupted. Juniper snorted in response as he trotted. “Is that what he’s saying it is? Is he saying that I had some kind of tantrum?”

Stepheno hesitated and Suga threw his hands up in the air in disbelief. The air was cold this time around, and he dropped his arms quickly to pull his hood over his head. It was also that Stepheno couldn’t see the heat of shame and anger that flushed up his neck. He didn’t blame his father for being annoyed with him. But to make it out like they had a petty argument when they were actually debating the welfare of the kingdom wasn’t fair. With so much on their hands to deal with, Suga supposed the tale was to make things easier for them. Now that he thought about it, running away… yes it was very child like. He frowned. 

“In different circumstances it would seem like something a child would do, but in your case-”

“Don’t bother defending it,” Suga sighed. “It  _ was _ childlike. Father and I were having a proper discussion and I got too emotional over it and I  _ literally _ ran away from my problems.” The trees blew, green leaves ruffling as if telling him that yes, he was a child when he decided to run from his responsibilities. It made him frown even deeper, clenching the leather reins in his hands tighter. 

“Look at all of the things you have discovered because you did!” Stepheno reasoned. “If you hadn’t left, we would have never known the real situation behind why Elenora keeps bothering you for her hand, my lord.”

Suga looked at Stepheno carefully. They were riding the rest of the way to Drummand, Stepheno agreeing that it was a good idea when Suga had told him. If they kept a good pace down the road, they would end up in the town in only two days, much faster than Suga had anticipated since he had planned on taking his time through the forest. It was nice to finally have company that would respond to him. Juniper was a good listener, but Stepheno was a better conversationalist. Especially when it came to turning the topic on it’s head so that Suga wouldn’t have to be ashamed about his decision making skills. 

“Would you marry Elenora?” he asked. 

Stepheno looked at him with green eyes wide. “My lord?”

Suga couldn’t help but smile a little bit. “It’s just a question Stepheno, you don’t have to look so scared.”

Stepheno swallowed, rolling his shoulders atop his horse. Compared to all of the other knights in the kingdom that laughed, drank, and flirted around with women, Stepheno was ironically the modest type. He didn’t like thinking about women other than them being women, sometimes dainty, in need of protection, or ready to punch a man in the face once they got too close. He wasn’t the type to talk about them either. Maybe since he knew that damage that could be caused by talking about someone out of context. 

“I… well sire, I do believe that she is, ah, very pretty.”

“Oh and that’s enough reason to marry her?”

“What? No, of course not! She’s not… well she’s not quite nice, even though she is very beautiful.”

“Very beautiful? I thought you just said she was simply pretty.” Suga laughed at the colour of Stepheno’s face that was slowly turning redder by the second. “With your size and stature you would think that you have millions of ladies fawning after you throughout the day.”

“I mean, there are several ladies who have… admired me and have been...bold.”

“So they’ve asked you to sleep with them?”

“My lord!”

Suga laughed again. Despite the reasoning, the entire escape felt like when he was younger. Stepheno, a few other nobles, and himself would trot around the forest looking for something to hunt, or simply spend time to see who knew the forest best. They would talk about women when they ran out of their own gossip to chat about; who they thought were pretty, which lady had a strict father, which one of them had received the most love letters, often coined with a certain flower. Now those types of conversations were the least of their worries. Most of the noble boys simply bowed to him and talked to him about politics and trade.

“My lord, I know that Elenora has caused many issues for you and everyone around you, but have you ever asked her to reconsider?”

  
Suga sighed. “I tried. I really did. After Mara’s coronation, I _begged_ her to explain that what happened wasn’t what she assumed. But she didn’t. She laughed at me and told me it wasn’t her problem and she had nothing to be sorry for. And if that wasn’t enough made it worse when we all went to that Full Nation meeting right after, she goaded and insulted and insinuated until… well. You were there for that part.”

Stepheno himself stayed quiet. It wasn’t a pretty memory for anyone involved. No one would take the word of him compared to one of the richest princesses of the land. There was nothing else that he could think to say and Suga didn’t want Stepheno to keep talking about it. There were so many thoughts running through his mind on how he was going to even get an audience with her once they reached Rosavna, much less try to explain to her yet again that he was sorry. They couldn’t entirely just walk up to the front gate like before.

“Once we reach Drummand we can hire a falcon to send her a letter,” Stepheno suggested. 

Suga grimaced. “Ah. About that. Do you have any money?”

He winced when Stepheno pulled his horse, Oakley, to a complete halt. “My lord are you saying that you ran away from home  _ without any money?  _ ” 

“It was a very quick thing that happened and I… I never carry money.” 

He turned Juniper around carefully, a small pout on his face as Stepheno stared at him with disbelief. A pang of panic shot his chest. Did Stepheno not have money either? Were they going to have to really live in the forest instead of go to Drummand?

“Of course I have  _ some _ but-”

Suga’s chest relaxed with a deep breath and a sharp laugh. “Well that’s all that we need, if anything we can have you dance on the corner for a coin!”

  
Stepheno looked absolutely appalled. “My lord surely not-”

“It was a joke Stepheno, calm yourself. Well mostly a joke, to be fair, I think you’d make a pretty penny with a song or two. Maybe that’s the best way to save Elvedare.”

“My lord!”

Suga didn’t wait for him to complain any further. He pushed Juniper into a gallop, giving a gentle wave behind him the only thing that Stepheno would get as a challenge to catch up. It was freeing to be able to run through the forest, smelling the earth and hearing the secret movements of animals behind the trees. Suga had spent so many years in the castle and traveling to other kingdoms to learn and create better unions. He was always on the move but it never felt the same as traveling for fun. 

_ It’s just an important vacation _ , he thought.  _ If I think too much, we’re all doomed. _ It was easy to say to himself. But the more that he sat as Juniper trotted, his mind wandered. How was he going to show his face to Mara after all these years? He would be lucky to even be able to set a foot into Rosavna, much less see her in person. It made him angry to think that she hated him. The memory of how she looked at him was burned into his memory, taunting him and reminding him of how feeble he was in that moment. He had never thought that her eyes would be so hurt and pained when she looked at him when all he had ever seen them do was smile at him. What would she do if he showed up to her like this, empty handed and wanting from her? The image of her throwing a sword at his feet and being challenged to a duel came to mind and he swallowed thickly. He wouldn’t put it past her. Suga very well deserved it. 

“Sire?”

Suga’s head snapped up. Stepheno was looking carefully into the distance down the road, slowing Oakely carefully with his hand in the air. Suga himself slowed, looking in the same direction. His eye couldn’t see anything other than trunks of trees and the dusty trail, but as he listened closer, there was a faint rumble in the earth. 

“On your guard Stepheno,” Suga said clearly, bow already in his hand as he pulled an arrow. 

“Yes my lord.” The sound of Stepheno’s sword coming out of its sheath made the hairs on Suga’s neck stand on end. Would every day on this journey be filled with danger? 

Suddenly the appearance of a white horse was in view, panting and neighing, clouds of dust in its wake. Suga pulled his bow tight, aiming without hesitation. The rider had their head low, covered in a deep grey cloak. Behind Suga could see others behind them, men with swords drawn that glinted in the sun and spit flying out of their mouths as they yelled profanities. 

“Sire we should leave,” Stepheno told him urgently. 

“Stepheno that person looks like they’re in danger.”

“What do you suggest then my lord?”

Suga’s mind whirled. It was a risk to involve themselves, but he remembered what he was told about the robbers on the trail. They weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty for something mediocre. What kind of prince would he be if he abandoned someone clearly desperately in need of help?

“We flank the white horse, if they don’t stop then I fire a warning shot and see what their business is and whether or not it deserves a fight.”

“Yes my lord.”

The moment the white horse flew between the two of them, Suga sent an arrow into the dirt, the men stopping in their tracks. He could hear the person heaving behind them, their horse breathing so heavily that Suga knew that this wasn’t as simple as it seemed. There were a group of four angry looking men. Their chests were dust covered, some wide, some thin. The most burly one was in front, a blonde and blacked haired lackey by his side and an even angrier thin man behind. But all of them were equipped with weapons. He could see daggers, short swords, and who knows what else they had hidden in the saddle bags. 

“State your business,” Stepheno stated clearly.

“Mind ya own,” the blonde spat. “This ain’t none of ya concern.”

“With that demeanour it sounds to me like you all aren’t up to good deeds,” Suga replied. There were two arrows already drawn in his bow, his eyes narrowed. 

“Do you require assistance,” Stepheno asked the person behind them.

“..Su-”

“That’s enough out of ya!” The horse of the blonde made a step forward and without hesitation Suga shot an arrow right next to the man’s ear. 

“The next one won’t miss, trust me,” Suga exclaimed. “So you can turn around and run back to where you came from and forget that this happened.”

“Ya bastard, who do ya think ya are!”

“Listen just be on your way, we don’t want to cause anymore trouble,” Stepheno told them carefully.

Instead of responding, with a yell the black haired boy barrelled towards them, sword raised. Just as quickly, Suga embedded an arrow into his shoulder, watching as the sword clattering into the dirt as he fell off of his saddle howling. Stepheno was yelling at the men to take their chances to run, Suga could hear it over the scuffle and shouting. 

“Johnny! Johnny get your ass on your horse!”

Stepheno was already ahead of Suga, his sword coming in contact with the burly man who thought that it was a better idea to leave his friend to roll on the ground and instead try his chance with Suga. The grinding of the two metals sparked, Suga looking for an opening to shoot another arrow. 

“We have no choice but to fight them!” he heard one of them shout. 

_ I really don’t want to do this,  _ Suga though. In quick time, he aimed two arrows, watching them land into a thigh, and another shoulder of the thin one in the back. He didn’t want to have to hurt them to the point where they would have serious injuries, but deep down he knew that these types of hooligans weren’t the type to give up easily. 

“Stepheno be sure to show them no mercy!” 

“Yes my lord!”

As Suga pulled more arrows out of his quiver, he could see each of them realize that they weren’t a match, not with a bowman with such accuracy. The blonde pulled up Johnny from the ground, throwing him over the saddle shouting a jumble of curses and profanities as they ran away in clouds of dust that made Suga cough. Stepheno was ready to give chase to them, but Suga called him back, turning to the person whose horse was hovering behind Juniper on nervous legs. 

“Are you alright?” But then Suga saw the blood crusted onto the mare, on the hands of the stranger who wobbled before falling off of their saddle. Suga jumped off of Juniper, his heart in his chest. Did they actually attack a lone traveller that badly? The stranger was smaller than he had originally thought, and when his hands turned them onto their back, he could see the blood that had soaked through the front of their cloak and the shirt underneath. 

“Stepheno quick! We have to get to the river and-”

Suga’s mouth froze as he pushed the hood back. There was a long, clean cut down the side of her face, seeping thick ruby blood running down to her throat. Her eyes fluttered softly before closing completely, the faintest of breaths coming from her mouth. His heart slammed in his chest looking at it, but it wasn’t the whole reason. 

“Mara?”

* * *

_Remember that you can access chapters ahead of time on my[Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/awriterrambles) by subscribing to my $5/$8 tiers!_

_You can find other links[here](https://linktr.ee/ambikuous)._

_:)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	7. Neem and Salt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga, Stepheno, and Mara finally reach Drummand where Suga finds something heartstopping on Mara's person.

“We need to get everything to the riverside now!!”

Stepheno didn’t need to be told twice. Mara was in Suga’s arms as they pushed through thick bushes and sharp branches until they were on the damp bank of the river. Her body was limp, the fresh blood on her making Suga’s pound heavily through his body. He laid her down as gently as he could, ripping a piece of her torn sleeve that he soaked in the water. The wound oozed red, slowly covering the entire left side of her face. How big was it? Was it deep? Had it damaged her eye? He was scared to think about it. But yet his hands were steady as he slowly dripped a steady flow of cold water onto her face, watching as streaks of blood were washed down into her hair. 

“Sire, orders?” Stepheno asked. 

Suga didn’t take his eyes off of her. “A fire. Clean cloth for bandages. In Juniper’s saddle bag I have a parcel of herbs. Boil chamomile, rosemary and cinnamon. Find the best stones you can, I also need you to grind neem and rosemary into a paste. We need salted water too. It’s going to hurt her but this needs to be cleaned.”

“Of course my lord, right away.”

As Suga wiped the side of her neck, crusted blood came off in flakes and melted into his makeshift rag. She had lost too much blood. It was a wonder she managed to stay upright on her horse to begin with. But why was she in these lands at all? The last Suga had heard, she was still in Rosavna, glittered strongly at the side of her father, looking at proposing new reforms that they planned on sharing to other kingdoms to increase trade. That was only several weeks ago. For her to have rode all the way, to be this close to the borders of Elvedare… was she going there? Was she coming to see him?

“You have no time for that,” Suga muttered to himself. The wound wasn’t as deep as he worried it was, much to his relief, but it was ugly. Jagged and uneven, red and raised with inflammation and soreness. It extended from her forehead through her brow, thankfully missing her eye, but thickly slicing her cheek so that pink flesh glared at Suga before weeping more red blood down the side of her face. His hand pressed the cloth onto her face, putting as much pressure as he dared as he looked up. 

If they were closer to home, he could have found someone with supplies. Even in Drummand they would have a better time looking for medical items. He needed tools; thread, proper bandages at least. She needed a bed, proper food and more meticulous care than a river and her own shirt. But as he saw Stepheno break through the green trees with all three horses that were covered in tiny leaves and their hooves browned with mud and dust, he knew that it wasn’t the time to complain. 

“Stepheno be quick!”

“Yes my lord, the fire has already started! I’ll start the salt water and tea immediately.”

Sweat dropped from Suga’s forehead onto her nose. Her breaths were slow, almost as if she was sleeping. Suga had never seen her like this before. They had been covered in mud from their practices and rolling around in the meadow, filthy beyond imagination. The only injuries they had were scraped shins and elbows that they would rub dirt into before forgetting about them entirely. But to know that her life could be in danger? He wanted to scream. Nothing would happen to her after all these years, he would make sure of it. Instead he gritted his teeth together and counted to sixty before gently moving his hand away. His own breath came in a gentle huff. No more blood. Carefully he cleaned her the best that he could, wiping dirt off of her chin and temple. Blood came off with a slight pressure onto her skin and before long she was clean until the only thing that remained was her grey tunic stained brown down the front. 

“Mara?” His hand pushed the hair out of her face. “Mara can you hear me?”

She didn’t answer him. He hadn’t expected her too, but his heart slammed into his throat. They didn’t have what they needed to be able to give her back her strength. Replacing her fluids would be easy, the river was close enough so that they could draw water and make teas that would hopefully keep her far away from any kind of infection that could be rooting it’s way into her cut. But she needed better food. A bed to rest in. Proper needles to sew up her face,

He picked her up carefully, nodding to Stepheno who had already laid their blankets onto the ground and his own cloak as a pillow for her head to rest on. Stepheno took one look at Mara’s face and grimaced. 

“Goodness…”

“It needs to be stitched,” Suga said through gritted teeth. “I didn’t… I don’t have  _ anything.” _

“It’s fine my lord, I have an idea. But first here, I shall grind the paste, the bandages still need to be made.”

Suga mechanically took the shirt that was handed to him and one of the daggers at his hip. It cut through the cloth easily as he folded it against the blade. The action reminded him of when he was younger and he learned about medicine. Older people in Elvedare used to come and go from the castle, spending hours teaching him about remedies and ways that the flowers and plants the kingdom grew were much more than food and to look pretty in a person’s hair. But as he cut the fibers, he wished that none of this was happening, and especially that he didn’t have to put what he was taught into practice. Stepheno ground the neem leaves and rosemary, the sound of the stones rubbing together all that Suga heard over the river and his own pained breathing. 

“Do you think she was headed to Elvedare?” Stepheno questioned. 

“I don’t know why she would be,” Suga replied. “But clearly something is going on. Who were those men that were chasing her? Were they the ones that did this to her?”

“I’m afraid to think that they might have my lord.”

“Then what could have possibly happened in Rosavna for her to need to ride all the way here?” 

“Perhaps… with everything currently happening in Elvedare maybe she might have heard of the trouble that was happening and came to lend a hand?”

Suga frowned. Broken fibers fell onto his knees and he brushed them away before placing his forehead into his palms. There was another idea that was slowly crouching on his mind. But was it really happening right now? Eleanora was a master planner, the best strategist in the land, but surely she couldn’t have predicted and planned for all of this. 

“Elenora.”

“You think she’s behind this my lord?”

“Think about it. There are spies in the castle. All of our plants are dying and our trade has plummeted so low that we needed to ask help from others. And who steps in to fix all of the problems that Elvedare has? Elenora. She comes in with grain and gold and silver even before asking for what she wanted. Obviously she might have calculated that I wouldn’t take kindly to her offer, so what does she do?” Suga looked down at Mara, his chest tight. “She goes after not only the source of our strife, but the only other person who would possibly help Elvedare.”

Stepheno said nothing as he handed Suga a bowl of water with salt that gently swirled at the bottom. With a clean bandage, Suga soaked it with the salt water, assessing Mara’s face. An open wound like hers was always prone to infection and bacteria. It was fresh however, the blood most likely having pushed out most of the dirt. Despite it all, Suga wasn’t taking chances, not with a wound on someone’s  _ face. _

“Stepheno, you need to hold her legs.”

“... pardon sire?”

“Just hold her legs so she doesn’t kick me in the face.”

Suga hovered over her, hands steady whereas the rest of him felt like he was shaking like a leaf in a winter storm. The water was cold and he could only hope that when she woke up, her hands wouldn’t reach up to strangle him.

_ This is going to hurt you more than it hurts me and I’m truly sorry for that.  _ As closely as he could, he squeezed a stream of salted water into her cut. Mara’s eyes flew open, her mouth opening in a hateful, pained scream as her legs kicked at Stepheno. Suga’s arms pinned her shoulders down as she spat and yelled. 

“Get the _fuck_ off me you ugly bastard!”  
  
“Mara! Mara you can’t move, you’re going to make it worse!”

“Who the fu-” Her eyes locked on him, immediately reddened and filled with tears. “Suga?”

Suga nodded. “It’s me. You have a large laceration on your… on your face Mara, and I  _ need _ to get it clean and bandaged so that it doesn’t fester with infection.”

Her eyes welled with more tears. “Suga it hurts so badly.”

“I know but if I don’t it’s going to get even worse. It’ll only take several moments I promise.”

With a shuddering breath, she closed her eyes, a hand clamping around her own wrist and Suga continued. Her legs twitched and her teeth bit harshly into her lips as she bore the no doubt agonizing stinging. Suga did as he promised, washing it as quickly and cleanly as he could until he could see droplets of blood turning the water pink. 

“God this hurts,” she mumbled. 

“Stepheno get me clean water.” Once a new bowl was presented into his hand, Suga poured it onto her face and slowly pressed new cloth dosed with thin spreads of paste onto her skin.

“Mara how did you get here?” 

“I rode.” Stepheno coaxed warmed tea into her mouth in a spoon, which she grimaced at. “It's bitter.”

Suga pressed another paste slathered bandage to her cheek and she wailed deeply. “God Mara who did this to you?”

“They wouldn’t stop,” she whispered, swallowing another bitter mouthful weakly despite everything. “They…” Her head had lolled gently into his palm, her breath hitting his damp hand slowly and surely. There was no way that she would be able to answer his questions. Not for a while. All Suga could do was wrap her head as best as he could and cover her warmly. His anger fueled him when he kicked stones into the river. 

“My lord…”

“What the  _ hell _ is going on? Why am I the last one to know what is happening? My kingdom is falling from the inside, my relationship with my people is no doubt ruined because of my cowardice, Mara is  _ injured _ because of  _ what _ ? Because Elenora wants to play games? She would do anything for her own amusement! That… that bitch!”

Suga kicked more rocks into the river until he was breathless and covered in a sheen of sweat. This changed everything. There was no way that Mara could be on the road for the same reason as him which meant that there was something happening in Rosavna as well. Did she flee? What happened to the King and Queen? Or did she hear about the Elvedare crisis? If he couldn’t go to Rosavna for aid,  _ where _ was he supposed to go?

There were so many ugly and brutal questions that he didn’t have the answer to. He wanted them. He needed them. It felt like his head was going to explode with all of the theories and thoughts that were overcrowding his brain at every waking moment. All he could do was think and think and think. Where was he going to find the answers to all of these questions? 

“My lord, what are we going to do?”

Suga closed his eyes and sat. He ducked his hands into the river and splashed his face, the water opening his eyes as he turned around to look at Stepheno who stared at him, always tall and waiting. There was only one thing he could bear to focus on at the moment and it was Mara. 

“We go to Drummand and we get there in the morning,” Suga declared. “She needs treatment immediately. We can find supplies and perhaps a medic if we can afford it. We leave before the sun moves over the trees.”

* * *

Drummand was alive. Suga had never seen a city so busy during the early hours of the morning yet the calls and hollers from merchants and children and women selling their wares echoed through his skull. He didn’t know where to look in the sea of people walking around Juniper until Stepheno pointed out a small inn, it’s front empty and dusted. With Mara’s head resting on his chest, there wasn’t any reason to argue. She needed to be in a bed within the moment of stepping into the city. 

“I’ll talk to the innkeeper,” Stepheno volunteered. 

“Be as quick as you can,” Suga replied.

Juniper snorted before pawing at the earth. Crowds weren’t something that he was accustomed to. He was a horse that Suga ran through fields and trails with for more than half of his life. The last time Juniper was in a crowd, Suga had to pull his head away from a bouquet of dahlias that was being offered so that the horse didn’t eat it out of nervousness.

“I know,” Suga muttered. “I didn’t know what I was getting myself into that’s for sure.”

“Two rooms!” Stepheno burst through the front of the door. “He only has two rooms available, the rest are booked for the season for hunters.”

Suga blinked. “Two… but wouldn’t three be better?”

“There are inns down the road,” Stepheno continued, but quietly he said, “but my lord I doubt they would be as cheap as this. We haven’t had a chance to go through Her Highness’s belongings so we don’t know if she has any money either so I think-”

“I’m baffled that you think I was planning on going through her things in the first place,” Suga answered affronted. “Take her carefully, I’ll pay for the rooms.”

“As you wish, sire.”

“Stepheno, I’m not a prince around people,” Suga whispered. “If anyone were to find out, we’d be robbed blind and I’d be tied up in the back of a cart for ransom, not to mention Mara.”

“I… yes I forgot. My apologies.”

Suga quickly threw his leg off of Juniper, tying him to the front of the inn as quickly as he could, praying that no one would try and steal his horse before he could put him into the inn’s stable. “Let’s be quick.”

The inn was dark save for the windows that were peeking in the bright light from the front of the windows. Suga imagined that it depended heavily on lanterns once the sun set, but it would give the browned wood a warm and homely feel. Only six tables sat as they walked into the bar, Stepheno nodding at the barkeep before wandering up towards a set of sturdy wooden stairs. 

“Far rooms to the end of the hall,” the barkeep shouted. “How long will y’all be staying?” He was a tired looking man, beard threaded with grey and a rolled skin of tobacco being smoked out of his mouth. His tunic, a dull beige, rolled up at the sleeves with an old rag under a hand that he was no doubt scrubbing his counter with. The type of man Suga expected to run an inn, a very sturdy looking man who wouldn’t fear grabbing a bottle of whiskey from behind his head and swing it at anyone who dared get out of hand in his establishment.

“Several days, my companion isn’t in the best of health,” Suga answered carefully. 

“What, the hooded lass?”

“Indeed. How long for a week?”

“Seventeen silvers. Breakfast and dinner. It ain’t the plague is it?” It wasn’t a bad deal at all. Suga had heard of taverns charging almost double that amount in gold and hardly offering a pitcher of water in the room. He himself had always hardly cared for how money was spent, much to his embarrassment now, so with each piece that he fished out of Stepheno’s leather purse, it was like plucking his own silver hairs from his scalp to offer. 

“No, just an injury from our travels. Thank you. Do you perhaps have a stable?”

The man puffed a deep cloud of smoke from his mouth and looked at Suga unblinkingly. “Another three. Ya friend said three steeds innit?”

“Three more silvers. I doubt-”

“My...friend, why don’t you go and see how Mara is doing?” Stepheno thumped his feet quickly in Suga’s direction, his eyes glancing at the number of coins on the counter. “I can handle it from here.”

“But-”

“I’ll also take care of the horses. Don’t worry about them.”  
  
Suga felt Stepheno kick the side of his boot gently. With a quiet nod, he walked away, a feeling in his gut that made him feel guilty. Had he messed up yet again? Was he being bamboozled by the barkeep for more money than this place was worth? Nothing seemed to be going as he wanted it to. He wandered down the hall, opening the door to the room that Mara was in. It was quaint. A clearly handmade quilt thrown over a generously sized bed for only one room that matched the soft blue curtains. It wasn’t dusty, Suga didn’t know why he expected it to be. There was a small brick fireplace, four pieces of wood already placed by the hearth for use and even a mirror at the corner. He sat himself in one of the chairs, wooden and hard but the cushion soft enough for him to let out a sigh finally. Anything was better than sitting atop Juniper at that moment. 

Mara breathed in deeply in her slumber. She hadn’t woken from when Suga had tended to her in the woods only several hours ago. Suga pegged it at her body, finally losing all of the adrenaline that was in her system. It still baffled him that she was here, only several feet away. The last time she had seen him… it hurt to remember. 

*

“I’m telling you here and now Suga, the moment you leave Rosavna, you are no longer welcome back,” Mara spat at him. “So enjoy your fucking stay.”

“That’s not fair,” Suga said through gritted teeth. “You’re not even-”

“What else could you possibly say to me?” Mara shouted. “My entire reputation is  _ gone. _ The day of my coronation, mere hours before I’ve finally admitted how I truly feel about you and you’re roaming the halls of my home under Elenora’s skirt? I’m  _ disgusted _ .”

“That’s not how it went!” Suga grabbed her arm as she turned to walk away from him. “Mara, Elenora-”

She looked at him in the eye, yanking herself from his grip. “You’re going to look me in the face and tell me that what I saw was wrong? That you didn’t have your hands on her to  _ feel  _ her, while you just grab me like  _ this _ ? Like I’m some tumble buddy ready to muck around in the dirt?”

Suga’s cheeks heated. Mara nodded, eyes brimming but she wiped the soft droplets away until she stared at him with rage burning in her gaze. “Koushi Sugawara, you single handedly ruined my coronation, have ruined the meeting that could have led to a cooperative nation, and you’ve lost Rosavna and myself as an ally. You… pack your things and leave. I will apologize to the King and Queen of Elvedare on my own time. Know that if you even pass through the waters of my kingdom, I will have your body shackled in the dungeons.”

Suga grabbed at her again, a desperate attempt to have her actually listen to him yet again before her hand rounded into a fist, hitting him squarely in the jaw with the Alvalars family ring that graced her middle finger. He had felt the blood seep down the side of his neck before he touched it, crimson coating his fingertips. 

“Mara,  _ please _ -”

“If you touch me again, I will bury a sword into your chest” she told him plainly. “Leave Suga. Now.”

*

Suga’s finger coasted over the small scar on his jaw carefully. What was he supposed to have done? She was so angry at him in their last moments, fuming and willing to even make sure that he was battered and bruised. Now she was here, far more hurt than he had ever wanted to see her and all he could do was look at her from a distance. 

He peered at her carefully, watching her head shift from side to side until she settled. Despite his better judgement, Suga got out of the chair and knelt at the edge, looking at the dusty bandages he was going to have to change eventually and how her hair scattered darkly around her sweat slicked skin. 

“What’s happened Mara?” he asked her quietly. She only breathed on him in response. Suga sighed, hands running through his hair before he carefully pulled off the boots on her feet so dried mud wouldn’t be on the bed. But as he pulled off of the second one, a folded set of crumpled papers slid onto the ground at Suga’s feet. 

It was almost a reflex how he picked them up and opened them. As he caught his actions, Suga almost snapped them closed until he read a sentence. His palms dampened and all of his muscles tensed. There was no way. It didn’t make sense. But it had been how many years? He knew that he wasn’t the same person the last time Mara and him had their fight. What was to say that she wasn’t the same person that he knew either?

“Sire, seventeen silvers is far too much-”

“Stepheno. Stepheno read this.”

The papers were shoved into the other man’s hands without the fear of crumpling them. Suga looked at his own boots and then at Mara, his hands settling around the two daggers at his hips. 

“My lord… what is this?”

“It fell out of her boot.”

“But… did she-  
  
“It’s her handwriting. I recognize it.”

“Sire that would mean that she has-”

“Spies. In Elvedare. Those men who followed me were hers.”

\--------------------------------------------------

_Remember that you can access chapters ahead of time on my[Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/awriterrambles) by subscribing to my $5/$8 tiers!_

_You can find other links[here](https://linktr.ee/ambikuous)._

_:)_

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	8. Spies, Lies, Despies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga is tired of not having too many questions, learns absolutely devesating news, and demands answers from Mara.

He couldn't sleep that night. Stepheno volunteered to be the one to watch over Mara so he could get some sleep, but as he started up at the ceiling, the sounds of the rowdy tavern beneath them wasn't loud enough to drown out his thoughts and the sour taste in the back of his mouth. 

He hated to admit it but he wasn't surprised that he didn't know there were people who didn't belong in Elvedare. Everyone thought that it was a perfect little place. Its history made it seem that way. But it was a shell that looked beautiful. On the inside, it was dark and murky, full of lies and dangers that never rose to the shiny silver surface but instead waited as it rotted until everything crumbled from within. How could he have believed in all of the glamour that masked what was happening? He was a pawn in making it seem that way too. If the prince had nothing to fear and had no worries, why would anyone else believe that anything was wrong with their home?

He turned, looking at the gentle sliver between the curtains that shone a streak of moonlight in. All of this just because of Elenora? What could she possibly want from him? Elvedare was nothing compared to what she had. Why use him? What did she really want? From the moment they had encountered one another at Mara’s coronation, he knew that she wasn’t all that she portrayed herself to be. Lily of the Valley. That’s what she reminded him of. Fair, gentle looking, soft to the touch. But she would undoubtedly bring the most painful of deaths. 

But there was Mara as well. He had fumbled the letters over and over, reading them until the words turning into darkened scribbles. Why did she have people in Elvedare? She had ended their friendship years ago and they hadn’t an inkling of ever returning to that connection so why? A part of him wanted to shake her awake and demand answers from her, her wound be damned. To think that she was also a threat, one even more villainous than Elenora was another bitter pill to swallow. 

“So many questions,” Suga sighed into the pillow. “Where am I supposed to find the answers?”

There was a loud bang and a roar of laughter. The tavern seemed alive, probably full of men making merry after a long day. Suga himself felt like the day had been extremely long. Perhaps a mug of ale, a goblet of wine, a glass of whiskey maybe would settle his chest enough for him to get some sleep. He didn’t bother telling Stepheno anything when he put on a tunic that didn’t smell like his sweat and the earth and wandered down the stairs to the bar. 

The place was abuzz despite it’s small size, the barmaid smiling as she placed mugs of golden ale and steaming bowls of stew in front of chortling men. All but one of the seats at the bar were taken, Suga sliding into it and waited patiently until the old barkeep nodded at him. 

“What’ll you have.”

“Ale.”

“The house has a local apple ale, that alright with ya?”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

Suga sighed, resting his face into his palm. Before long, a brimming mug of ale was placed in front of him. “I’ll charge ya room.” Nodding his consent, Suga took a gulp and sighed. It wasn’t bitter like some ales he had tried. This one has the sour, but sweet punch of fresh apples that tastes more like drinking a squeezed fruit. There were a couple men sitting to his left, hunched around their own mugs and half eaten bowls of their dinner that they mopped with warm buttered buns. 

“I’ll tell ya, tha’ ports are teeming with people from Rosavna.”

“I heard a young lad sayin’ that his Da had to give over several golds just to get onto Dravin’s ship. A selfish man that one is.”

“Would ya even imagine to think that people would be runnin’ away from Rosavna? What else is gonna be next?”

“I hear Elvedare is gonna get that fancy princess. From Somoza.”

“Well she’s a pretty lil’ thing, lucky on tha’ prince.”

“Oh they’ve had a goings on for years, remember at tha’ Rosavna princess’s coronation? Caught going at it in tha’ hallway when he was announced as her escort by tha’ poor girl herself.”

“That’s not what happened.” Suga’s mug slammed onto the counter. The chatter next to him died down, the older gentlemen looking at him with surprise. 

“And how are you to know what ‘appened there lad?” He was leered at by them all, his cheeks heating. 

“My… my mother used to… work for the florists that took the flowers to the coronation,” Suga lied quickly. His heart was slamming in his chest. What a idiotic outburst. It was believable. Many women were sent to events to help arrange flowers from Elvedare to their desired location. Drummand was in high demand during those times, and women loved to be able to gain a chance to go away and see other kingdoms, gossiping to and fro. “She said that Princess Elenora forced herself on the prince.” 

“Well a lucky man that is!” Laughter resounded in the tavern and Suga heated with anger. 

“It’s not right to happen to anyone, man or woman. I can’t believe that the rumour is still alive, it’s been years.”

“Well it’s alive as long as that little prince hasn’t said a word about it,” another called out. Suga swallowed back the ball of shame that slammed into his throat. “If he won’t deny it, imagine what really must have happened! I envy that lad, two princesses fightin’ over him and all he does is wave flowers and hang around his castle!”

“I doubt he even knows what’s happening in one of his lady’s kingdoms?”

“What do you mean?” Suga asked.

“What you haven’t heard boy?”

“Heard what?”

“Where have you been tha’ last several days? It’s all anyone’s been talkin’ about.”

“I’ve been on the road with my companions. We just arrived into town.”

“Ah that’s why.” The man closest to him leaned forward, smelling like salt water, sweat, and alcohol. “Rosanva’s princess is dead. Mercenaries attacked tha’ castle and tha’ whole city is at war as we speak. People are fleeing all over tha’ place, I just brought back several families who were drifting through tha’ current. They fear that tha’ Alvalars family is doomed...”

“Dead?” Suga looked up quickly at the ceiling where he knew for a fact that Mara was very much alive and sleeping, unknown to what was being said about her. 

“A true pity. She was going to be a good queen. Head strong and determined as much as she was beautiful.” 

“Mercenaries have taken over? But the army-”

“Decimated in tha’ night! Can you believe it? I’m saying its an inside job.”

“Of course it was, how else could tha’ port be overrun like that and then they just walked into tha’ castle like that? Someone had to have helped them.”

Suga felt like he was going to throw up. This wasn’t what he wanted to hear when he came down to have a drink. Did Mara know that Rosavna was under siege? Was that the reason why she was running to Elvedare, because the moment she stepped into the kingdom she would be in neutral ground? He took another mouthful of ale to push down the bile that was coming up from his stomach. He didn’t care for the rumours about what happened at the coronation. However they could be dismissed in comparison to what he was learning at that moment. Another inside job? More spies that were pushing the foundations apart from the safety of a false identity? 

“Well gentlemen, thank you for the conversation,” Suga muttered to them. 

“Have a good night lad, don’t dream too hard about tha’ princesses, tha’ barkeep doesn’t have time to fetch ya clean sheets.”

Roaring laughter echoed at his back as he walked up the stairs, right into Mara’s room. Stepheno’s steel glinted, before he realised who it was.   
“My lord-”

“I’m waking her up,” Suga told him. 

“But you said to let her sleep!”

“That was before I learned that all of Rosavna is currently under attack.”

“What?”

Suga’s hand firmly grasped onto Mara’s shoulder, shaking her as sternly as he dared. Her lips smacked together, eyes fluttering open looking around deeply brown and confused. Once her gaze landed on Suga, a palm reached up, the tips of her fingers ghosting over the hand he had on her shoulder.

“You’re real,” she said hoarsely. 

“I am,” he confirmed. “We need you to sit up and-.”

“I’ll put the kettle on the hearth,” Stepheno interrupted. “My lady, how do you feel?”

“I… where am I…?”

“A tavern in Drummand,” Suga told her. She blinked at him slowly again, her hand reaching towards her bandaged face and hissing. “You shouldn’t touch that.”

“I… it  _ hurts. _ ”

“It’s been several hours, sire, perhaps you would like to change the bandages?”

Suga nodded, sitting on the side of the bed, putting her arm around his neck as he leaned down towards her. “I’m going to prop you up, hold on as tightly as you can.”

His arms slid around her frame, pulling her up easily, the bones in her back pressing into his arm making him wonder how long she had been on the road to get to this state. Easily he put two more pillows behind her, her head falling back into them gently, her breath deep. Suga opened the lantern more, the wick flickering as it grew and illuminated her face. There was a sheen of sweat on her skin, one that Suga didn’t like very much. As gently as he could, he pressed the back of his hand to her cheek. 

“You’re burning up,” he muttered. 

“I don’t feel good Suga,” she whispered. “I feel too warm.”

Regret hit him at forcing her awake but his need for answers pushed him over the edge. “I’m sorry, but I need to ask you a couple of things.”

“Sire perhaps-”

“Is Rosavna under attack?”

She nodded weakly. “A week ago. From the ports. From the inside. From  _ everywhere. _ ”

“Why does everyone think that you’re dead?”

“They carried me out in a cage,” she told him. “Mother and Father, I tried to protect them but we got separated. Cornered. Too many of them. They dropped me in the ocean.”

“How did you escape?”

“The cage broke when it hit the bottom. I swam for so long. Came up on the shore, ran until I found people who would help. But they followed me.”

“Were you coming to Elvedare?”

She nodded again. “Needed help.”

“What if I didn’t want to help you.”

“Elvedare is neutral ground. The moment I set foot there, anyone coming in to attack would be breaking code and treaties.”

Suga soured but nodded. He would have done the same thing in her position. He  _ was  _ going to do the same thing. That was the first plan that he came up with the moment he realized that Elvedare was in danger. 

“So everyone thinks that you’re dead.”

“I should be.” Her hand hovered over her face before she dropped it. “There’s a secret bounty out for me. Anyone who finds me gets coin. A large amount of coin. But… my people… they think that I’m dead. I...”

Suga pulled out the parchment from the back of his boot and slapped it in her lap. “What is this?”

Her hands turned over the paper and fumbled them. “I…”

“You have spies in Elvedare.”

“I… Suga-”

“Do you?”

She nodded again. Her breath came out deeply. “I do.”

“Why? For how long?”

“I… I needed to make sure that you didn’t have any… ties to Elenora. She’s been trying... “

Suga threw his hands up in the air at the same moment that Stepheno carefully placed a steaming mug of tea in her hands. “My lady if you drink this it should help bring down the fever.”

“Thank you Stepheno,” she whispered.

“Stepheno please leave the room.”

“Yes sire.”

The door closed and Suga whirled at her. “It’s been  _ years _ and you’ve had spies following me because you’re jealous of  _ Elenora _ ?”

“No! Suga the only reason she went after you was because of me?”

“Oh yes, because you’re so tall and such a threat that she would have to give a damn about you! Just because you’re the crowned heir to the biggest throne in the nation does not mean everything is about you!” 

“But this was! Elenora wants to-”

“Wants to marry me,” Suga finished and Mara fell silent. “She’s in my kingdom, saving it from crumbling with the expectation that because she’s entered as a saviour that I’m going to get down on one knee as a thank you.”

“What did you say?”

“I ran away.”

Mara didn’t say anything other than look at him. She sipped her tea quietly and Suga paced the room. He wanted to know everything. He wanted all of her reasons, all of her plans, anything that she was going to hide, he was going to make her say. 

“I had spies there because I was worried about you,” she told. 

“That’s bullshit.”

“It’s not. I was scared Elenora was going to come after you after the coronation and ruin you. That she was going to push you even farther away.”

“You did that well enough on your own!” Suga shouted. “I tried to explain everything to you! But you didn’t want to listen to me! All you did was shout and hit me and then banished me from ever seeing you again! I wrote you so many letters. I followed every sound of gossip that had your name attached to it. You were my best friend and instead you didn’t even let me tell you the truth.”

“I saw enough.”

“Mara-”

“I sent spies to keep you safe,” she interrupted. “I see now that I should not have bothered.”

“Stop that,” Suga fumed. “Stop turning it around on me. Shut up and let me speak for once.”

“Shall I take you back to what happened all those years ago?” Mara asked quietly. “From what it felt like for me? Because you’ve talked a lot about your feelings about that day, but I never got to tell you how I felt.”

“You said enough when you forbade me from ever coming to see you again.”

“It was more than that.”

“Then tell me. What else happened that did all of this?”

She sighed, her hands shaking as she put down the cup. “Please can I… can I just take a few more hours to sleep. I’m tired Suga.”

So Suga sat there in the arm chair across from the bed after he helped her lie down, watching the crackling flames that died into embers that faded into the dark until the only thing lighting the room was the lantern by her bedside. He sat and waited and waited, resting his head on the cushion and closed his eyes, seeing fleeting glimpses of the meadow they ran in as children, the steel they clashed as teens, and the look on her face when she slapped him all those years ago in his dreams. 

\--------------------------------------------

_Remember that you can access chapters ahead of time on my[Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/awriterrambles) by subscribing to my $5/$8 tiers!_

_You can find other links[here](https://linktr.ee/ambikuous)._

_:)_

  
  
  



	9. Chapter Eight: Storm Soaked Hydrangeas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What really happened at Mara's coronation all those years ago.

FIVE YEARS AGO

Suga walked through the crowded hall like he wasn't on a mission to find Mara. There was so much bustle in the palace that he wondered if anyone even cared to acknowledge him with more than a two second bow or curtsy before rushing past him with arms ladened with something or the other needed for the coronation. He himself had been ready ages ago and wandering his room became stale. What better way to pass the time than to spend it with the person who was the cause of all of this ruckus to begin with?

It took several tries and attempts to hide the heat that rose in the back of his neck when he asked handmaidens where he was going to find Mara at this time, their giggles pointing him not to her sleeping chambers, but rather a room the Alvalars specifically had for moments like this. He stood outside of it for an unnecessary amount of time, bringing enough courage to actually raise his arm from where it hesitated, tapping the side of his thigh. Knocking on the oak door, he was greeted by a slightly old woman, taller and thinner than he was, with pins in her mouth.

"She's not ready," he was told.

"Oh I'm not... I just... wanted to talk-"

"Your Highness, respectfully, the princess does not have the luxury of time to simply _chat_ -"

"Oh my God, Suga? Come in please! I think I'm going to lose it." Suga couldn't help the smug look that came across his features as he waited for the seamstress to give him a way to enter the room. It was a gorgeous chamber, the light streamed in from large windows, the carpet sparkling with woven gold throughout its navy expanse. She was standing in front of a large mirror, almost as wide as it was tall. It showed the whole room, himself included as he walked in, the evergreen of his coat a stark difference to the airy blue gown that she donned, the shades sparkling gold and changing with each movement she made. His mouth parched at the sight of her gaze turning to him, soft curls swinging over her shoulder with several petals from the hydrangeas he himself had chosen to bring for this event woven through her locks. Her eyes, almost golden in the sun, turned to him, darkened with black lashes that made them so wide it was like she was staring right through him.

Her hands were graced with gentle golden chains running from her fingers to her wrists, the Alvalars ring the only other thing on her hand, a necklace the same shade of gold the only thing else she wore with a sapphire of the royalest blue that he had ever seen. Mara walked up to him, her mouth moving, speaking to him but Suga couldn't hear anything other than the pounding of his heart in his ears. Had he always felt this way? Yes, he had. It was subtle, something he had pushed aside in the name of friendship and being her sole companion because there was no way he would threaten their friendship with something as mediocre as romance. But how could he hide it now? She moved like the ocean, sparkled with untold mystery and grace, and was as beautiful as it was deadly.

"Suga? Suga are you listening to me?"

He blinked. "Yes sorry. You look wonderful."

She huffed. "Yes, sure. But what about the entrance? Do you offer your arm, do I take it? Or do I walk on my own with you at my side? We have to figure this out now or we're going to end up making it up in the moment and that has the chance to be a nightmare."

Suga seated himself on one of the chairs in the room stiffly as Mara was ushered back onto her little pedestal, the hem of her gown falling into the seamstress's lap for what Suga could only assume were final touches since there were no other tailors in the room. "If you walk on your own, what's the point of me being there?"

"As my escort of course!"

"Then as your escort shouldn't I offer my arm?"

"I'm worried if you do, then people are going to-"

"Your Highness please stop shifting, the border will be uneven."

Mara huffed again. "Madame Leau, I doubt anyone will know that it's uneven."

"Until it's all they talk about for the next several months! That the princess can't even afford to have her coronation gown hemmed properly!" Suga coughed back a snicker, silence by the heated gaze of the older woman. "I made your grandmother's gown for years. Your Highness, do not think I will let you look anything less than perfect."

"How much longer?"

"Several minutes. Less if you stop moving."

Suga cleared his throat again, getting Mara's attention. "Well we already know what people are going to say since I am escorting you regardless." It was true. They had talked about it on their walks along the beach, when they sparred in the training yard, at dinner, and even when they snuck into each others room during the night to make sure not a moment of their reunion was wasted. The nation would take it and run rumours all over about an affair between the two of them. It was just a fact that they both needed to accept. Suga did without much quandary, the idea making his heart stutter in his chest and ruefully look at the moon as if it would give him answers.   
  
"Sometimes I just wish they would mind their own business," she replied. "There are so many people here, I feel like a fish at the market being sold, watched by everyone waiting for approval."

"I mean, I guess I understand. It was different for my coronation."

"Yours was so much fun! Remember all the strawberry tarts we ate?"

"Are you kidding? I had a stomach ache for the rest of the night because of that."

She laughed as he chuckled, a hearty one that Suga knew she only reserved for those she was comfortable around. He decided that it had to have been then, when they both had strawberry jam on their faces at the age of eleven and ran into the meadow to watch the stars where he realized that Mara was the most beautiful person in his life.

"Things were easier when we were children," Mara told him. "When did we start caring about what people thought?"

"When we realized that we have thousands of innocents to take care of at our fingertips," Suga replied easily. "You're going to be a queen someday. And one of those days, I'm going to be a king. We might not have any more time for fun and games after this."

There was a silence between them only punctuated by the sound of Madame Leau rustling with the fabric and their breaths. Suga looked at her as she stared at herself in the mirror, one of her curls caught between her fingertips that she twirled. She was fit to be a queen. Made for it. There was nothing else Suga would see her as. But... perhaps maybe his queen? He blinked away the thought and looked at his hands. Why now was he thinking about all of this?

"Madame Leau could you excuse us for a moment?"

"Your Highness, the hemming-"

"Is beyond perfect," Mara crouched, taking the older hands into her own, holding them gently. "This is the most beautiful thing you have given me. I shall wear it with pride and honour."

Madame Leau nodded, clearly moved my Mara's words. She gave a quick curtsey to them both, closing the door behind them without any more questions or comments. Suga looked at Mara carefully as she stood. It wasn't the first time the two of them had been alone before, but he could feel that there was something different. Mara's hands fidgeted with her fingers, her feet gently tapping on the ground as she looked at him carefully. She was nervous, of course. Who else wouldn't be? It wasn't every day that you'd be inheriting the richest kingdom known to man.

"You're going to do fine." Suga walked up to her. He took her hands in his own. They were cool, slightly damp which he found endearing. "All you have to do is walk, kneel, get a pretty crown on your head and then sit."

"That's... that's not what I'm nervous about."

Suga blinked. "I... what are you worried about."

She took a deep breath before blurting, "I lied."

"Lied?"

"The reason I wanted you to be my escort."

"You lied about that?" She nodded and took a deep breath. Resting her head on his shoulder, he let an arm go around her shoulder. The smell of the hydrangeas and whatever scent she added made Suga feel dizzy. Had they ever been this close? He was touching her skin, feeling her warmth in his arms. "Why? Do you not want me to escort you?"

"No it's not that." Mara looked at him, dark eyebrows furrowed with worry. "Promise me something."

He nodded without hesitation. Whatever she wanted he would give. "I promise."

"You haven't even heard-"

"Whatever it is, it's probably worth all of this showmanship," he grinned, his heart fluttering when she couldn't help but smile back. "So what is it?"

"Promise me that no matter what I tell you in the next few moments... that even if it changes the way you see me, it won't drive a wedge between the bond that we have."

Suga poked her in the forehead. "Of course not. I would never let that happen."

"Even if I've been in love with you for the past ten years?"

"I..." Suga thought that his heart would pound out of his chest. Did he hear her correctly? The look on her face was one of relief, like she had been burdened by this secret. Mara loved him? She had loved him since they were eight? It was impossible.

"You don't have to say anything," she rushed. "I... I've loved you for a long time. You're the best man I've ever encountered in all of these years I've been alive. Wickedly smart, undoubtedly kind, a champion with a bow and arrow, not to mention strikingly handsome...

"Every letter that you've written me I've saved. Messengers and scribes have their own unwritten rule when they see a letter from Elvedare. They pass to me, knowing that it has to be from you. Every flower that you've pressed and sent in them I've saved in a book that reminds me of you. I wanted you to be my escort because I love you Suga. There is no one else I'd rather have by my side. Rumours fly around about the wealthy princess of Rosavna and the gentle flower prince of Elvedare and they make my heart gleam and burn wishing they were true. But I was too scared to say anything to you, too scared to tell you until now. And I hardly even know why I chose this moment to tell you. But I love you. I alway have.

"I love you like the ocean loves the shore, never leaving for too long before coming back gently, softly. I love you like the rain that falls onto the flowers in the meadow so they can grow and thrive and become even more beautiful. Within every stroke of ink that I've sent from my desk through dozens of hands over many nights until they were open by yours, I secretly penned how I feel without you knowing. The years that we spent apart were painful and all I could do was look at the moon through that same window that you've spent these last several nights in hoping that you were looking at it at the same time.

Suga's hand raised, his fingers dancing across her cheek before holding it. Her eyes glimmered, looking at him, breathless. It was the most beautiful confession that he had ever heard. No book that he read could ever compare to Mara confessing all of these hidden feelings. They came from within her, as pure and truthful as any lover could create.

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Because I didn't want to lose you," she whispered. "It was such a risk and all I could think about was how I was going to be able to live without you if it ruined everything that we had built. And I love the way we are. I wouldn't give up our friendship for the world, so why would I dare lose it because I have these feelings for you? I was content with being your closest friend."

"Mara you don't understand," he laughed softly. He cupped her face in his hands, her own fingers wrapping around her wrists. Suga would drown in her eyes. It would be the most wonderful way to end his life, he decided. Staring at her and eyes that sparkled with everything that he too felt for her. "I-"

"You don't have to tell me how you feel," she interrupted. "I... I think I've always known but I dismissed it as me getting ahead of myself."

"You are more beautiful than every single flower that grows in Elvedare," he whispered before leaning into her mouth. He kissed her softly, enchanted. She was sweet, gentle as he was taking a step closer to him so that he could feel her chest pressed against his, the beat of their hearts pounding against each other, as if desperately trying to escape to be with one another. None of his wildest dreams could have prepared him for what it was like to actually have Mara in his arms, her mouth against his own, tasting his breath with own. Kissing her was like kissing cold lightning; he didn't want to ever stop. But when she pulled away, he chased after her lips, bringing her back to his own fleetingly before she mumbled something that he couldn't hear.

"Suga... Suga you have to go." Her mouth pouted and pink made Suga run a thumb over them softly.

"I... I don't want to," he said back to her. "Why would I ever?"

"You have to wait at the entrance to the ballroom," she reminded, her thumbs rubbing the insides of his wrist, against the veins where Suga knew that she could feel the rapid beating of his pulse. "Guards are going to be here in several moments to escort me through the halls. If they see you-"

"Does it matter?"

"It's more scandalous than I would like," she laughed softly.

"Whatever you wish," Suga agreed. He made sure her eyes locked on his when he kissed the back of her hands. The heat in her cheeks made him grin. "I am at your command Your Highness."

"Go before someone catches you in here," she giggled, sighing when Suga pulled her into him by the waist for yet another swift kiss that left him almost as delirious as Mara looked.

"I'll see you soon."

"I love you."

"I-"

Madame Leau burst into the room aflutter, "Your Highness, I almost forgot about the lining in the back, up on the pedestal at once! It wasn't trimmed!"

Suga let her go, winking before jogging through the door and down the hall until he came upon a window looking out towards the port. Seagulls cried, the waves roared, and the ocean breeze blew against the fire in his face and down his neck. She loved him. Suga laughed into the air as loudly as he could. Mara loved him! He wanted to burst back into the room and tell her the same. How much he loved her. That every moment they spent together was ingrained into his memory and he would rather die than forget even one of them.

His fingers touched his mouth. She was still there, etching herself into his lips with her own. Lips like opium, red and strong like the poppies they were created out of. Drunk on the feeling, Suga took his time walking down the stairs to the ballroom. His parents were already there, waiting for the coronation to start with all of the other royals. He wondered if they knew about this, or perhaps had an inkling as they watched him run around with Mara as a child. Did they know that the two children they allowed to run into the meadow and come back covered in mud were hiding feelings from one another? Had they caught the secret glances that their teen eyes had thrown at the other and simply smiled to themselves about it?There were so many thoughts running through his head that he didn't notice anyone in his path until he walked right into a blonde headed woman, almost as tall as himself, with eyes a darkened green that reminded him of a viper.

"My apologies," he said embarrassed, "my mind was elsewhere. You're not hurt I hope?"

"On the contrary I feel better now that I've met you," she replied. It was a voice of silk. One that would talk him to sleep and have dreams. Or perhaps nightmares depending on her words. "I am Princess Elenora of Soma."

Suga froze in his tracks, nodding his head at her once he remembered his manners. This was the greatest female strategist of the land? She looked nothing like it. Dressed to the nines, her waist was encrusted with green gems as well as around her neck and in the tiara that sat amassed her blond tresses. Elenora didn't look any older than himself and Mara which struck a chord with him. Her brilliance had to have been on a level of its own. He had heard stories from his tutors about how skillful she was within planning on a battlefield. They made sure that he studied twice as much as his governors and generals, tested on all tactics and plots just to make sure that he was one step ahead of her come the day Soma finally came to take the world.

"It's my pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. I've heard many things."

"And I have heard even more about you Prince Koushi of Elvedare." Her lips smiled at him slyly when he blinked back at her.

"I... we haven't met before have we?"  
"Oh no, we haven't. I just make it my personal mission to know the names of those I am interested in."

"Ah." Suga pulled his arms back to his side, when he had placed them on her own arms he didn't even realize. "Well it was lovely to meet you. Perhaps we will run into one another later during the coronation, but I have to-"

"They say that you're the best strategist in the land." Elenora circled him, her gaze whipping up and down all over him like ice. It reminded him of a predator eyeing it's prey. "It baffled me for quite some time. Why on earth would a measly flower prince need to know about those types of things? Especially when his kingdom hasn't ever been invaded in this century?"

"Thank you for the compliment, I-"

Elenora laughed, her hand resting on his chest daintily as she looked at him. Her fingers were studded in silver, even more green gemstones glittering into Suga's eyes. Suga's saliva thickened when she grinned at him, admittedly very beautifully, the tremors of his heart making her take a step closer to him. "But never did I imagine that you would be so handsome. Tell me, is it true that you're not betrothed?"

"I..." Suga swallowed deeply. "I am not." His head pounded, heat rushing to his face when Elenora tipped his chin to the side with her knuckles, the metal of her rings jagged within their design.

"What a marvel. Amarantha hid you away well from my eyes. Until now."

"I'm sorry I don't... shouldn't we be getting to the coronation?"

"Come now Prince Koushi, the coronation doesn't start for at least an hour," she giggled at him. Was he being swallowed by her eyes? Why were they suddenly so wide and swirling within her lashes? She blinked at him and it was like he was falling slightly as he was standing.

Suga shook his head. "The... no that can't be right, I just left Mara to go wait for her."

"Perhaps the pressure of being her escort has made you think too much." His hand was grabbed, his skin icy to the touch as it was enveloped by her burning hot one. "Come, let us sit for a moment, give you some time to collect yourself."

It sounded like a good idea. There was a lot of pressure being an escort. Perhaps she was nice despite her pushy nature. She had him seated and was crouched in front of him before Suga even realized. Where were they? He could hear the sounds of people, laughter and footsteps but when he looked around, there was no one to be found around the corridor. Was it the stress getting to him? Or was it perhaps last minute preparations that were resounding too loudly in his skull.

"How do you feel Your Highness?" Elenora held his hand gently, intertwining their fingers. He didn't have the voice to tell her to not touch him like that.

Suga took a deep breath but felt like it wasn't entering his lungs even though he breathed out. "I... I don't like the way that I'm feeling right now."

"Oh? What's the matter?"

"I... I don't particularly know." He tried to stand, but was pushed back into his seat.

"Now, now," Elenora cooed at him. She was sparkling with each move and gesture she made. Suga didn't know where to look. The gems drew his gaze but he couldn't focus on any one of them. "How about you rest your head Prince Koushi, perhaps a nap is what you need." Suga nodded, his eyes dropping closed and before he knew it he was tipping over, his cheek suddenly graced by soft silk and a warm hand pushing his hair back just as softly. "I'll wake you up when it is time alright?"

He nodded, the image of Mara spinning her gown, smiling at him in the sunlight danced behind his eyelids. She was beautiful. Angelic. The kind of beauty that minstrels wrote tunes about that flew across the lands. Of a princess so wonderful and powerful as she was gorgeous that children though it had to only be a story and nothing more. And that princess kissed him and told him she loved him. What a wonderful moment. What a wonderful memory. A memory?

Suga blinked his eyes open, sitting up and looking around. He was still in the same corridor, Princess Elenora looking at him surprised with eyes wide and a hand poised in the air as if she was caressing him. His head fogged, eyebrows furrowing as he blinked, unable to connect any of his thoughts together for more than a second.

"I... what am I doing here?"

"You were taking a nap Prince Koushi, resting. Are you feeling alright?"

Suga shook his head and stood, looking at Elenora, tilting his head when her blonde hair turned ebony, sprinkled with blue hydrangea petals. Her skin turned a warm brown, her eyes even richer and deeper like the earth of a spring garden. He smiled at Mara softly, his hand reaching for her own. "Hi Mara."

She smiled at him, taking his hand into her own and rubbing her thumb against his knuckles. He could feel her thigh pressed into his when she moved closer, her hand coming up to hold his jaw before she leaned in to kiss him. Suga sighed into her mouth, lips sealing against hers as he felt joy flood down his neck and through the rest of his body. He kissed her softly, a hand running over her shoulder to the back of her neck, under her hair so that he could make sure that Mara wouldn't pull away from him like last time. Suga wanted to kiss her until they couldn't breathe.

"I love you," he muttered into her mouth. "I love you."

She stood, her hand pulling his so that he stood with her, pressing herself against the wall. He followed her willingly, hands cupping her cheeks so he could stare into her eyes one more time before she leaned in and kissed him again. He could feel her ribs against his, a hand dropping to her waist to squeeze. Her breath stuttered in their kiss and he grinned at her. His pretty little flower. Shaking in the wind. Her leg pulled his thigh closer to her, so close Suga wondered if there was any space between them even left, her knee rising to his hip. Dainty her hand put his fingers at her ankle, their skin burning hot yet freezing cold as Suga couldn't help but shiver at the touch of her soft, smooth calf under her dress.

"... Suga...?" Turning, his eyes prying themselves open, he blinked at the image of Mara, eyes wide, hands gripping the front of her gown as she looked at him, unbelieving.

"What-"

Suga looked at the woman in front of him, Elenora panting, several of her blonde ringlets dropping from her updo, rouge smeared across her face while she smiled at him. "What's wrong Koushi?"

He shoved himself away from her, his eyes turning to Mara who was still silent, looking at him with eyes so glassy and wide that she looked like the most distressed doll ever made. "I... Mara wait-"

But she was running. Her gown trailing behind her as she rounded the corner. Suga looked at Elenora, her hand wiping the red from her mouth as she grinned at him. "God you really are something little flower prince. I like that." Her gaze was wicked, her laughter making Suga feel bitter as he swallowed and backed into the wall until he was running as well. Shouting for Mara, ignoring the looks and stares he was given by those he passed until he saw her running up the stairs. Her sleeping chambers. She was headed there. Even faster, Suga skipped stone steps one after the other until he saw her, heard the sound of her sobs along with the sound of her steps. He grabbed her arm, spun her to him, and was slapped so hard across the face that his ears rang.

PRESENT DAY

Suga awoke with a start. The fire in the hearth had died, as did the lantern by Mara's bedside. There was no light streaming from the window and it took Suga a minute to hear the deep and heavy pattering of rain on the roof. He looked at her sleeping form in the bed again, the rise and fall of her chest, the bandages wrapped around her head, and the empty hand that lay across the mattress, open.

Five years and she hated him for all of that time. Suga leaned his head back, looking at the ceiling. Tears pricked his eyes and he closed them, letting them flow and run into his hair.

 _Five years_ , he thought. _Five years and I've never fallen out of love with you._

________________________________________________________________________________

**_Remember that you can access chapters ahead of time on my[Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/awriterrambles) by subscribing to my $5/$8 tiers!_ **

**_You can find other links[here](https://linktr.ee/ambikuous)._ **

_:)_


End file.
